


Give Me Mercy No More

by killerqueenie



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, And Lots of It, BDSM, BDSM Scene, Bathing/Washing, High Heels, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Insecurity, Kink Negotiation, M/M, Massage, Masturbation, Nipple Clamps, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Praise Kink, Rimming, Rope Bondage, Safe Sane and Consensual, Switching, Vibrators
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-01-07 03:14:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 44,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18401957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerqueenie/pseuds/killerqueenie
Summary: Gwilym and Ben rope Joe into teaching a bondage class (pun intended), but Joe doesn't know any available subs. Gwilym does though! Enter Rami, who needs lots of love and aftercare.





	1. Chapter 1

When Gwil and Ben go on vacation from the club together, Joe thinks nothing of it. They’re a couple, they do couple things.

He’s wiping down the counters for the night when Gwil approaches him. “So,” he starts, “I know you’ve been doing ropework for some time now.”

Joe slides a sidelong glance at him. “Where is this going?” he asks, immediately suspicious.

“I forgot about my class,” Gwil says as Ben walks up. 

“Did he say yes?” Ben asks.

“I haven’t asked him yet,” Gwil replies.

“Say yes,” Ben says, eyes big. “Say yes so Gwil can focus on me.”

“He’s been focused on nothing but you for the past year, Ben.” Joe rolls his eyes.

Ben looks pleased, like he wasn’t intimately privy to this information.

“Anyways,” Gwil says, cutting in. “I forgot about my ropework class, and I need you to take over while I’m gone.”

Joe sighs. “I don’t have a sub,” he says. It’s a pathetic excuse, in so many ways.

“I can get you one,” Gwil says, pulling out his phone.

“Wow, that was easy,” Joe drawls. “You just have subs laying around?”

Gwil rolls his eyes, over dramatically, in Joe’s opinion. “Don’t be terse. Here,” he says, and Joe’s phone vibrates. 

Joe picks it up, looking at the text. “Seriously though, what am I even supposed to cover?”

“I can send you the course work and plan. Beginner stuff, really. Nothing like suspension. Floor work only.” He looks at Joe, hopeful. “You’ll do it?”

Joe groans. “Fine. Let me see if,” he looks at his phone again, “Rami is okay with it.” He points at Gwil, then Ben. “You both owe me, big time.”

“Thank you!” Ben says, and practically throws himself over the counter to give Joe a hug. 

“I’ll send Rami a text to expect you to contact him.”

“You’ll like him,” Ben chimes in. “He’s great.”

Joe wants to ask how he doesn’t know this guy already, but Gwil is already leading Ben away from the bar, and Joe has shit to do anyway.

He doesn’t think about it until the next day when he opens his email to see Gwil’s sent him a guided lesson plan on google docs. He pulls up his texts and shoots one out to Rami.

_Hey Rami, this is Joe. Gwil said you would be interested in helping me teach his class. Still up for it?_ He sends the text off and starts the process of making coffee while looking over the lessons on his phone.

The lessons all look fairly simple, what kind of rope to use, what tools the top needs, what aftercare the bottom needs, and so on. 

He’s halfway through his first cup of coffee, making notes on his phone when Rami texts him back. 

_Yes, but I’d like to meet in person before we start._

Joe blinks. _Yeah of course_ , he texts. _Can you meet up today? Send me your email and I can shoot you a contract._ He bites his lip. Is that too much? After all, they’re demonstrating, and it’s not actual scenes, but Rami’s safety is first.

Rami sends back his email address and a place and time.

Joe sends his checklist and contract, adjusting a few words, and hopes Rami can fill it out before they meet.

 

Joe sits in the coffeeshop, early and plays on his phone. 

“Joe?” a voice calls, and Joe turns to see a stunningly beautiful man. He feels like his mouth is agape. 

“Yeah, hi, Rami?” he says, standing. He holds out a hand to shake, and Rami looks at him with sea glass eyes, before shifting his phone over and grasping Joe’s hand. “Nice to meet you,” Joe says, gesturing towards the table, pulling out a chair for Rami. 

“You too,” Rami says, his voice raspy and slow. Joe wants to hear more of it.

“Can I get you anything?” Joe asks. “Coffee, tea,” ( _me_ , the joke stays on his tongue,) “pastry?”

“Black coffee?” Rami requests, and sits down.

“Be right back.” Joe stands in line, feeling like he’s being watched, which he probably is, and wants to kill Gwil and Ben. Where have they been hiding this guy? Would Joe be enough for him?

Joe is aware he’s not a typical dominant, not automatically demanding or having a commanding presence. He’s had subs over the years, and the last one, Riley, said he wasn’t toppy enough, whatever that means. But it was enough to send him spiraling into doubt about even his orientation.

He’s tried switching, even. But it didn’t work. 

He buys two black coffees and sets Rami’s on the table before going to the bar and adding what Ben calls a repulsive amount of sugar in his. 

He comes back to Rami, who’s pulling out his phone. 

“Did you get a chance to look at the checklist and contract?” Joe asks. 

Rami nods. “I’m uh…” he blushes. “Pretty vanilla,” he admits, shrugging.

Joe smiles. “As long as you’re comfortable,” he says, and Rami looks at him with those huge eyes again before smiling back.

He nods. “Yeah, I mean, I’ve done ropework in the past, nothing hardcore,” Rami says, scooting his chair in and picking up his coffee. “Just floorwork. I don’t,” he clears his throat, pauses. “Maybe you should just look over the checklist?”

“Sure,” Joe says, and opens his documents. He scans the checklist, and it looks like Rami’s added comments on some of them. Joe reads through them. No suspension, no beating, but open to some things, like harem and exhibitionism (friends). “Okay,” he says. “Looks good, a lot of these we’re not going to do. You’re not into asphyxiation, so I won’t bind your neck.” He sees that beating is highlighted, hard limit. 

“I had a bad dom,” Rami says, and Joe looks up. “She,” he shrugs, “she always wanted to, and I was okay with it at first, but the more it happened, I…” he trails off.

“I’m sorry you went through that,” Joe says, wanting to find this dom and punch her in the face. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

“Well, the point is,” Rami says, staring into his coffee, “I need more aftercare than the average sub.”

“That’s fine,” Joe replies.

Rami looks at him, suspicious.

“It really is. I love aftercare. If I could just do aftercare, I would.” He smiles.

Rami listlessly copies him. 

“Look, you don’t have to do this,” Joe says. “If you’re nervous, or unsure, that’s fine. I want you to tell me this stuff so I know what to do.”

Rami sips his coffee, slowly setting the mug on the table. “I need to get back on the scene,” he says. “Gwil vetted you, Ben’s vetted you, so I know you’re nice,” Rami says, looking at the table. “But I’d still like, a demonstration?” he asks. “Is that okay?”

“More than,” Joe replies. He pulls out his phone. “You know Ben and Gwil, so we can set up an appointment with them, and I can show you what you and I’d be doing.”

“Really?” Rami looks shocked.

Joe is going to hunt down that dom and make her take classes. Maybe ban her from all the scene bars. “Really,” Joe says. He starts a group text with all four of them, and sends out a message asking if it was okay if Joe and Ben could play for Rami.

_Sounds good to me!_ Ben sends back immediately. 

_Perfect_ , Gwil replies. _Tomorrow, our place?_

Joe looks across the table where Rami is staring at his phone, biting his bottom lip. “You can say no at any time, Rami,” he says.

Rami looks at him for a moment, and taps something out on his phone. Joe gets the message a few seconds later: _I’ll be there._

 

Ben opens the door looking ecstatic. “You’re here!” he says, tugging Joe in. “I know you’re a weird perfectionist, so I’ll let you and Gwil talk.” he rolls his eyes.

“It’s not perfectionism,” Joe says, offended. “It’s making sure everything is right.”

“Yeah,” Ben says, rolling his eyes. “Perfectionist.” He smiles. “Don’t worry. I love it.” He kisses Joe’s cheek.

Joe glares at him. “Maybe I won’t give you these cookies I made then,” he says, lying through his teeth. He walks down the hall past Ben, checking the thermostat. It’s at 73, so he pushes it up a few degrees. Ben runs cold, after all

Ben gasps. “Why would you even say that?” He talks loudly into the living room. “Rami, Gwil, did you hear this? Joe’s not letting me have home baked biscuits.”

Joe rolls his eyes and shoves the reusable bag at him. “Here, go drink some water and have a cookie.” 

Ben smiles and walks into the kitchen with his ill gotten gains. 

“What’s this I hear about biscuits?” Gwil asks, turning the corner.

“Too late, your boyfriend’s absconded with them,” Joe says, shrugging off his backpack.

“He loves a baked good,” Gwil sighs. He pulls Joe in for a hug. “Thanks for doing this, mate. I really appreciate it.” He looks behind him, his voice low. “I’ve known Rami for awhile, he could really use someone like you.”

“Yeah, about that,” Joe says. “Where have you been hiding him? Is it because he’s ridiculously pretty?”

Gwil smiles slowly, sly. “Pretty?” he asks.

“Like you don’t have eyeballs,” Joe says.

Gwil laughs. “He’s fit, yeah,” he shrugs. He turns somber. “Ellia really did a number on him. He didn’t go anywhere without her for a while, and Ben and I made it clear that she wasn’t welcome with us.” 

“Right. And you wouldn’t happen to have her number?”

Ben balefully looks at him. “Nice try.”

“I wouldn’t actually do anything,” Joe insists. “Just put her information up behind the bar, make sure she never touches another human being.” He looks up at Gwil, tries to make his eyes wide like Ben’s. 

Gwil claps him on the shoulder. “The truth is out,” he says. “And you can help more by doing just this.”

Joe sighs. “It’s a hardship, tying your boyfriend up,” he says looking put out.

Gwil rolls his eyes. “Go set up,” he says, pushing Joe’s shoulder.

Joe pulls out blankets and cotton rope, and goes to Gwil and Ben’s bedroom for pillows. He spies Ben’s blue robe and grabs that too.

He walks the stuff back to the living room and sets it down. He looks up from adjusting the blanket on the floor to see Rami watching him. Joe smiles. “Hey,” he says.

“Hi,” Rami replies. He takes a bite of one of the cookies Joe brought. “These are good.”

“Thanks, it’s my grandma's recipe.”

Rami goes to sit on the couch, eyes tracking Joe’s movements. He shrugs off his jacket. Joe leans over and takes it from Rami, folding it over the chair. “It’s hot in here,” Rami comments, his hands restlessly fiddling.

“Yeah, sorry. I turned the temperature up for Ben.”

“Oh.” Rami looks like this is a new idea to him. 

“Was there anything you wanted to see while we go through the scene?” Joe asks, unraveling the rope, and checking the tension. 

Rami shakes his head. “Just —” he stops himself, biting his lips. 

“Just what?”

“I just wanted to watch.”

“Okay,” Joe says, unsure. “But I’m open to requests,” he jokes, and Rami laughs, the sound like a bark, sudden and startling. His eyes are on Joe’s hands, and Joe looks down, the rope still within his grasp. 

He walks over and sits next to Rami. “Here,” he says, handing Rami the length of rope.

“It’s soft,” he says, threading it through his fingers. 

“All natural cotton. You’re not allergic to anything, right?” Joe asks.

“Just bees,” Rami replies, testing the rope’s strength. 

“I’ll add that to the list of hard limits,” Joe teases, and Rami smiles. Joe wants to see more of that. “I didn’t see it on the contract,” Joe says, changing the subject. “What’s your safeword?”

Rami looks at him. “Milk.”

“Milk,” Joe says, willing himself to remember. “Mine’s egret.”

“Egret,” Rami repeats. 

“Anytime you can use that or the color system, okay?” Joe asks.

Rami looks confused. “I’m not in this scene,” he says slowly.

“Yeah, but you might still have reactions, or feel, untethered,” Joe says. “So I’d feel better if you’d be willing to use your safeword. Just in case.”

Rami nods, swallowing. He hands the rope back. “Thank you,” he says, and Joe doesn’t ask if it’s for the rope or for the checking in on him. 

“You ready, Ben?” Joe asks, and Ben walks in from the kitchen. 

“Yep!” he says. Gwil slides in from behind him to join Rami on the couch.

“You drink your water?” Joe asks, as Ben takes his shirt off.

“Yep.”

“Eat your cookie?”

“Yep.”

“Use the bathroom?”

“Bugger,” Ben sighs, and shucks off his pants and underwear before walking into the bathroom.

Gwil smiles, stretched out on the couch on one end. 

Rami stays on the other end, eyes pinned on Joe. 

Joe smiles at him, trying to exude calm, even if he’s nervous to show Rami what he can do. What he would do, if it was them.

Ben comes back out. “Fresh and hydrated as a daisy,” he says. 

“Awesome. Tell me your safeword, and get in your preferred position.”

Ben smirks. “Brummagem,” he says, hands behind his back, feet apart.

Joe rolls his eyes. “Ben, come on. We haven’t even started.”

“It’s needle. Your’s is egret. I know this, you know this.” He gestures to the couch. “They know it.”

“I like to hear it from you.”

Ben smiles. “But what if I want to be punished?”

Joe runs a hand over his face before turning to Gwil. “You work with this?”

Gwil shrugs. “It’s your scene. You know his limits.” He looks too amused.

Ben smiles.

“Get on your knees, hands behind your back,” Joe says. “Face the kitchen. I’m walking to the bedroom, and coming back.”

Ben gets onto the floor and into position, still smiling. Joe walks into the bedroom and pulls out a thin vibrator. He shows Gwil, who nods. Rami watches him, biting at his cuticles.

Joe nudges Ben’s thighs apart with his foot. They’ve done this before, bondage, sex play. Always with Gwil, but now the unknown Rami factor has been thrown in. 

Joe takes a breath. Just do the scene like you normally would, he thinks. He picks up the cotton rope and ties Ben’s arms, avoiding the armpits and just above the elbow, working his way down to the wrists. He holds his fingers in Ben’s hand. “Squeeze,” he says. 

Ben does so, the line in his back getting straighter. He puts his hand on the backside of Ben’s palm. “Push back,” Joe says, and Ben obeys.

“Good,” Joe says, running his hand over his work, scratching Ben’s head. He looks over to the couch, to make sure Rami can see. 

Rami leans forward, observing the rope work. Joe feels pride swell up in his chest. Rami is interested. 

Joe grabs another length of rope and does some intricate work, and some simple ties, loosening some after he’s finished. 

He realizes he’s showing off for Rami, and blushes a little. He grabs Ben’s hip, steadying him. 

“Ready?” he asks.

“Sir?” Ben asks, sighing. Joe grabs the lube and warms it up in his hands. 

“It didn’t escape my notice how good you’ve been,” Joe says, sliding his hand between Ben’s cheeks, running a finger over his rim, circling.

Ben hums, leaning back. 

“Think you’ve been good enough?” he asks, holding Ben in one arm, catching the lip of his hole with his other hand. 

Ben nods. 

“Wanna put on a show?” Joe asks, and Ben sighs, nodding. 

Joe unravels the rope carefully, watching the ends, and makes Ben squeeze his fingers again. “Hands and knees,” he says, and Ben complies.

Joe ties Ben’s thighs to his arms, and leans back, making sure Ben is on display.

“Beautiful,” Gwil says, and Joe smiles. 

“Thank you.” He darts a look at Rami, who’s flushed, eyes locked on Ben. “Rami?” Joe asks. “What’s your color?”

Rami slowly looks at him. “Green,” he says, blinking.

Joe nods, and grabs more lube. He starts working Ben in earnest, one finger then two, and Ben is vocal, as always, cursing and sweating.

Joe picks up the vibrator, no bigger than one of his fingers, and slides it into Ben. He picks up another length of rope and ties it around Ben’s waist and around and under his groin, wrapping and tying the vibrator too.

Ben grunts when Joe turns the vibrator on, and soon it turns into a whine. 

Joe watches Ben, his body shaking with pleasure, running a soothing hand over his back. 

“Sir,” Ben says, struggling in the ropes. “Sir please.” The ropes creak.

“Please what?” Joe asks, and turns the vibrator up. 

Ben would have arched his back if his could. He groans, long and low. “Touch me,” he says. “Please? Jesus, fuck!”

Joe laughs, and reaches under with his still slick hand and starts stroking Ben, who shudders, trying to move. 

“Stay still,” Joe says, hand on Ben’s ass.

“Can I?” Ben asks. “Can I come?” 

Joe lets go of Ben’s cock, humming and Ben curses again. 

“What do you need?” he asks. 

Ben shakes. 

“You gotta tell me, Ben.”

“Higher,” he says, straining his neck. “Turn it higher, touch me.”

Joe adjusts the setting and gets to the side of Ben, letting Rami and Gwil have a full view of Ben’s twitching hole.

“You know,” Joe says, lazily stroking Ben, “One of these days I’m gonna eat you out, and make you come just from that.”

Ben’s head drops, gasping. 

“Maybe I’ll fuck you afterwards too. Or better yet, you can ride Gwil backwards while I suck you off, and your pretty thighs will be tied open. Sound good?” Joe plays with Ben’s foreskin, pulling down and thumbing over the flap.

Ben nods, and Joe knows he’s coming soon, because he hardly ever shuts up.

“Look at you,” Joe says, crooning. “So beautiful, all tied up, nowhere to go.”

Ben’s hips start jerking, and Joe speeds up, purposefully tight and reaches over to the vibrator, pushes in and up, hitting that sweet spot so Ben can come.

Ben whines, his whole body stuttering, gasping, cumming. 

Joe slows the vibrator down and keeps stroking Ben through his orgasm. 

He lays Ben on his side and unties the ropes, slow, soothing hands running over his body. 

When the ropes are off, Joe gets Ben’s limp body into his robe and cuddled against his chest.

Joe kisses Ben’s cheek. “You did great,” he says. 

Ben hums. “You too.”

“Lovely as always,” Gwil agrees. 

Joe looks over at Rami. “Okay?”

Rami looks up from where his eyes are on Ben. “Yeah,” he says. “I’m good.” He swallows. 

Joe smiles. “Let me take care of Ben,” he says, running fingers through Ben’s hair, “and then we can talk?”

Rami nods. “Sounds good.”

Gwil leans over. “Do you need anything Rami?” he asks.

Rami shakes his head. 

“You sure?” Gwil asks.

“It’s okay Rami,” Ben says, voice rough.

“Hold me?” Rami asks, looking to Gwil. 

“Of course,” Gwil says, scooting down the couch and wrapping his arms around Rami. “Nothing wrong with a little cuddle.”

Rami lays his head on Gwil’s chest. 

Ben wiggles against Joe. “Can I have another biscuit?” he asks.

Joe laughs. “Hang on,” he says, getting up. Ben walks over to Gwil and Rami. He gets the cookies from the kitchen and hands them off to Ben, before going to the bathroom and getting a wet washcloth.

“Alright,” Joe says. “Let’s wipe you down.”

“I like being sticky,” Ben says, cookie in mouth. 

“That’s a lie, and you know it,” Joe says. “Stand up.”

Ben groans and stands, letting Joe wipe him down. “Done?” Ben asks.

Joe rolls his eyes. “Hardly.” He grabs the Palmer’s from his backpack and warms the lotion in his palms. “You can sit, though.” He rubs the lotion on Ben’s legs, working his way up his body. Once Joe is satisfied and makes Ben get up again to check his back and ass, including spreading his cheeks, he tucks Ben against Gwil’s other side and lays a blanket over him. 

Ben yawns. 

“Tea?” Joe asks, playing with Ben’s hair. 

“Bless you,” Ben says, curling into Gwil.

“Rami?” Joe asks.

“No, thank you,” he says. 

“I’ll bring some water anyway,” Joe says and goes to the kitchen again. 

There’s some murmuring on the couch, Gwil’s deep tones mixing with Ben’s light ones, and occasionally the hum of Rami chiming in.

When the tea is done and Joe’s added the cream and sugar, he brings it and a glass of water out. 

“Thank you,” Ben says.

Rami nods and takes the water. 

“Thoughts?” Joe asks, folding up the blanket, avoiding the wet spot. “Questions, quandaries?”

Rami chuckles. “That’s not going to happen in class, right? The vibrator?”

Joe shakes his head. “No, it can be completely non sexual. We move at your pace. If you feel like you’d like that, we can do that after class.”

“What if I need more aftercare than you can give me?” Rami asks.

“Impossible,” Joe says.

“Joe would coddle me all night if I let him,” Ben chimes in. 

“If you need more time you can come to my place, or I can go to yours,” Joe says. “Your needs and safety are my priority.”

Rami looks down at the water in his hand. 

Joe wishes he’d look at him with those sea glass eyes, be confident in his needs. 

“And you’re okay with my limits,” Rami says.

“Of course.”

Gwil and Joe share a look as Gwil pulls Rami further into his arms. 

“I can do it,” Rami says. 

“Great, I’ll print out the contract, and send you the class information,” Joe says. He smiles, and Rami smiles back, cheeks pink.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha okay so I SAID update this Sunday, but I was inspired by y'all kudos and comments and the community thirst, so here you are!
> 
> also, for the love of cheese please do NOT show this to the actors, or anyone who knows them. I would die.

The first class is supposed to be easy, Joe thinks. Types of rope, dom and sub tips, maybe get into techniques. He didn’t count who would be in the class, however. 

Rami sits in the front, waiting, watching his every move. Joe looks over and checks in on him occasionally, making sure he’s hydrated.

Lucy is sitting next to him, taking furious notes, and asking rapid fire questions. 

Joe treats her enthusiasm with his own.

“Can we see some of the knots in action?” she asks. “Minnesotan peach?” she requests.

“That’s a little advanced,” Joe laughs. “The Minnesotan peach is purely aesthetics. But if Rami is willing, I can show you a simple hobble, or elbow tie?”

Lucy, her sub Clementine, and the other two couples, Eliza and Conrad, and Harry and Rose, nod. 

“Rami?” Joe asks. Rami stands, nodding. “Can you take off your shirt?”

Rami follows orders beautifully, and Joe takes his shirt and puts it on the nearest chair. Joe picks up the cotton rope and slowly guides the class through the elbow tie, making sure that everyone checks the space between the sub’s body and the ropes, checking their hand squeezes for nerve damage. 

He’s outrageously nervous. He wraps the final ends into the elbow tie and checks Rami’s arms. “You okay?” he asks, making Rami push his hand back. Rami does, and smiles, craning his neck.

“I’m fine,” he says.

“Okay, I’m gonna make the rounds in the classroom,” Joe says. “But let me know if anything changes.”

Rami frowns, biting his lip.

“What?” Joe asks, quiet. 

“Can I have a blanket?” Rami asks.

“Yeah, of course,” Joe says, and thanks whatever deity out there that he came prepared, while cursing the club for being so cold. “Sorry,” he says, draping the blanket over Rami’s shoulders. “I can’t adjust the temperature in here.”

“Not your fault.”

“Still.” Joe looks at Rami, hands behind his back, shoulders straight, covered in a blue blanket. He looks soft and beautiful, and Joe wants to take him home, or go downstairs and show him off. He runs a finger under Rami’s chin, tilting it up, smiling.

“You don’t want me looking down?” Rami asks, eyebrows coming together in confusion.

“Why would you?” Joe asks. “You look amazing. You should be proud.”

Rami looks at him, nostrils flared, and eyes wide before glancing away, flushed.

Joe blushes himself, and adjusts the blanket to cover more of Rami’s chest before walking off to check on the class.

The students are fantastic, and there’s no serious problems to speak of. He makes them unravel the ropes as soon as they finish them, however. “Subs newer to the bondage scene shouldn’t be in ropes for longer than fifteen or twenty minutes,” he tells them. He holds up a pair of flat edged safety scissors. “Never, ever, be without these. Don’t use regular scissors, or a knife.”

He cuts the rope holding Rami’s arms together, and it unwinds onto the floor.

“That’s braided dyed cotton,” Harry gasps. “You said you made that yourself.”

“I don’t care,” Joe says. “Rope is replaceable, your sub is not.” He stares at Harry, willing the point into him. Harry nods.

“Let’s talk aftercare,” Joe continues, and digs into his backpack again. “Rami, would you like to put your shirt on again?”

Rami nods, and shrugs the shirt on as Joe praises Palmer’s butter. He works the cream onto Rami’s arms.

“What about other lotions?” Conrad asks.

“Palmer’s or arnica cream,” Joe says. “It helps reduce the marks and bruises. Other lotion is fine for extra pampering. But this stuff is gold.” He rubs until there’s no more white marks on Rami’s arms. “Thank you Rami,” he says. 

The class ends, the couples thanking them before leaving. Then it’s just Rami and Joe.

“How’re you feeling?” Joe asks.

“Okay,” Rami shrugs. 

“No tingling, no pain?”

Rami smiles. “No. I’m hardly even sore.” He raises an eyebrow. “It was one knot.”

“But it was your first with me, in a new setting,” Joe insists. “What do you need?”

Rami thinks for a minute, and Joe waits him out. “Can you come over to my place for a bit?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Joe says. “Yeah, of course. Did you want to take a Lyft?”

“Public transportation is fine,” Rami says, standing. 

“Rami,” Joe says, and Rami stops, stilling. “Can you indulge me?”

Rami looks at him, and blinks. “Depends.”

“Let’s take a Lyft?” he asks.

Rami relaxes. “Okay,” he says, raising his hands in supplication. “We’ll Lyft back to mine.”

“Great,” Joe says. “Let me pack my stuff up.”

The car ride back to Rami’s isn’t that long, only fifteen minutes, but Joe fills the time by holding Rami’s hand and talking non stop. 

Rami seems amused by it, and when they get to Rami’s apartment, Joe swings back into aftercare mode.

“Here,” he says, pulling a Coke out of his backpack. “Drink this.”

“It’s sugar,” Rami says, wrinkling his nose.

“It’s part of taking care of you,” Joe says. Rami huffs, but opens the bottle. They settle on the couch and Joe piles all the blankets on them. “What’s your favorite show?” he asks.

“You’ll laugh,” Rami says, turning on the tv. 

“It can’t be worse than mine,” Joe says. 

“Frasier,” Rami admits, pulling up Netflix.

“A classic,” Joe says, smiling. 

Rami sits on the other end of the couch, even with them under the same blanket. Joe keeps his body language open and easy. He reaches over and checks Rami’s arms occasionally, watching for any bruises or marks. 

“How’re you feeling?” Joe asks, two episodes in.

“Sleepy,” Rami says. “Thanks for this,” he says, tucking the blankets under his chin.

“Thanks for being my sub tonight,” Joe replies, the words coming easy to him.

Rami stares at him for a moment. “Really?”

Joe turns to him. “Really. You were great. You are great.”

Rami clears his throat. “Ellia,” he says. “My previous dom,” he explains, “she didn’t thank me.”

Joe is going to find this person, he swears it. “Was she the only other dom you had?” he asks, trying to keep calm.

“My first real one. I had a friend in college, and we tried stuff out with each other. I had relationships,” he says. “But yeah. She was it, basically.”

Joe wants to ask and make sure that Rami knows that what Ellia did was fucked up, but holds back. “I’m glad you feel comfortable with me,” he lands on.

Rami looks thoughtful, and then slowly, moves over to Joe’s end of the couch, tucking himself under Joe’s arm. Joe drapes his arm over Rami and adjusts the blankets. 

They both drift off to sleep.

 

Joe wakes up the next morning, crick in his neck and a warm pressure on his chest. He blearily opens his eyes to a strange, brightly lit apartment, and Rami, who is plastered on his front.

Joe grunts, his bladder full and needing release, but he’s loathe to wake up Rami. Joe can’t see Rami’s face, but he can feel their legs tangled together, feel Rami’s arm tucked between their bodies and the couch, and hear the soft breath of Rami.

Joe wants to drift back to sleep, but of course, that’s when he hears the sound of keys in the door, and the front door opens. Joe tenses, gripping Rami. 

“Hey dork, wake up, I got bagels!” the stranger yells into the apartment, and that’s when he sees Joe.

Joe, who is stunned by the resemblance to Rami. 

“Uh, hi,” Joe says lamely. “I’m Joe.”

“Sami,” the man says, blinking. “You uh, my brother’s on you.”

Joe is aware of how awkward this is. “We’re friends, he just fell asleep on me,” he says, explaining, and both of those statements are true. 

Rami stirs from the talking. “Joe?” he asks, his voice morning rough. 

“Hey,” Joe says, softly. “Your brother’s here with bagels, you want some?”

Rami’s eyes snap open and he looks behind him. 

Sami smirks. “Morning,” he says.

Rami groans. “Okay, I’m up,” he says, and gets off of Joe. 

“Where’s your restroom?” Joe asks, and Rami and Sami both point to the hallway, so Joe heads there.

He washes up, finished and he looks in the mirror, grimacing. He’s scruffy and his hair is fluffed up and there’s pillow lines on his face. Nothing for it now, though, and he walks back out to hear furious whispers in the kitchen.

“You didn’t have to!” Sami is saying. “It’s like a freaking beacon to you; you see red hair and —” he stops when he sees Joe. “Hey Joe.”

“Hey,” Joe says. He swallows. Rami doesn’t turn from facing Sami, and Joe laughs. “I recognize this is awkward,” he says.

“No kidding,” Sami says.

“But I’d love to make you guys some breakfast to go with the bagels?” he asks.

Rami turns, and his face is beet red.

“Or I can leave,” he amends, “whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“I’d love some eggs,” Sami shrugs. 

Joe waits for Rami to say something. 

“Breakfast sounds nice,” Rami says finally, and Joe smiles, brushing a hand on Rami’s shoulder. 

Joe manages to whip up some eggs and slices some tomatoes; there’s hummus too, so Joe makes them bagel sandwiches.

Sami makes the coffee, handing a cup off to Joe.

“So how do you guys know each other?” he asks, and Joe freezes. 

“We have mutual friends,” Joe says. 

“Do I know them?” Sami asks, and Joe can’t tell if this is leading into a shovel talk, or Sami is being nice.

“Gwilym and Ben,” Joe replies, darting a look over to Rami. 

Rami’s blushing again.

“Oh!” Sami says. “Oh, you’re a dom.”

“I tell my brother everything,” Rami tells Joe through the hands covering his face, sounding like he’s regretting his choices. “We’re twins, it goes with the territory.”

Joe laughs. “Man, if I knew about my sister’s sex life I’d freak the fuck out.”

The twins laugh. 

“Well, Rami’s always been a little weird,” Sami teases. “Besides, I already like you better than Ellia,” he says.

Rami groans. “Please don’t start.”

“I’m your brother, I reserve the right to trash talk your exes.” Sami turns to Joe. “She didn’t take care of him.”

“That’s not a problem with Joe,” Rami says, loudly and distinctly, trying to end the conversation.

Joe smiles. “Good,” he says. “I’m glad you think so.” Okay, so he feels a sense of pride welling up. Rami thinks he’s a good dom? Day made. Or maybe the whole year made. “I do have to leave now, though.”

Rami’s smile slides off. “You do?”

Joe shrugs. “Work. You can visit me at the bar anytime,” he says. “And you have my number. Call me about anything, okay?”

“Anything?” Rami asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I mean it. If there’s a spider in the bathroom, call me.”

“And you’ll come over and kill it?” Rami asks, his smile back.

“Don’t be ridiculous, our spider overlords are to be feared. I’ll call Gwil and he’ll fly back from Mexico and he’ll kill it.”

Rami laughs, and it’s beautiful and genuine, his face scrunched up and cheeks pink. “Okay,” he says, handing Joe his backpack. “I’ll call.”

“Great. And I’ll see you next week.” Joe waves to Sami. “Nice meeting you,” he says.

“You too,” Sami replies, lifting his mug of coffee at him.

Joe walks out, making his way to the street. His phone buzzes.

Curious, he checks, and sure enough, there’s a new text from Rami. _Thanks for breakfast._

_Anytime,_ Joe sends back. He watches as Rami is typing out a reply. 

_Any instructions for me before I see you next week?_

Joe hums, considering. If they were further in the relationship, there’s so many things Joe would like Rami to do. Maybe work their way down the checklist and see how Rami reacts. But Joe wants to be there to see.

_Take a 20 minute minimum bath with epsom salts_ , he sends. _Send a pic of you in the tub or give me a FaceTime call during._

_When does your shift end?_

_10:30pm. But seriously, anytime._ Joe starts to put the phone in his pocket, but it buzzes again.

_I’ll FaceTime you, 11pm._

Joe can’t wait. Rami taking a bath? It’s going to be amazing. _I look forward to it._

Joe pushes through his shift, making sure to check his phone every 15 minutes, regardless of customers. It’s enough where one of the older regulars, Brian, teases him about it. 

Joe rolls his eyes. “New sub, Bri,” he says, and it sounds like the whole bar coos.

Joe refuses to blush, but he’s not sure his face got the memo. 

Finally, he’s off his shift and home by 11. 

Rami calls him as soon as Joe shuts and locks the front door. 

Joe swipes open the call. “Hey,” he says, struggling with his backpack. “I just got in,” he says.

“Do you need me to call you back?” Rami asks, and Joe hears the distinct sound of running water.

“No, I’m here,” Joe says, and brings up the phone to smile at Rami. “I’m gonna grab a drink. Tell me about your day.” 

Rami shifts, and Joe gets a glimpse of bare shoulders. Joe desperately wants to see the rest, to be there and make sure the water is just right, to shampoo his curly hair. Fuck, Joe has it bad.

“Spent it with Sami. He likes you.”

“I’m not sure I earned that yet,” Joe says, setting his phone on the counter and turning to grab a beer out of the fridge.

“I think so,” Rami says. “I told him you said I had to take a bath and he approves.”

“Well, take all the baths you need,” Joe says, popping the top off of the bottle and taking a swig before picking the phone up and going to the couch.

“I haven’t taken one in a while,” Rami admits.

“Don’t like them?” Joe settles down, placing his phone on the arm of the couch.

“Oh,” Rami says, and there’s sloshing sounds and a creak, and the running water sound stops. “No, I just don’t think about taking them. They seem, indulgent.”

“They can be,” Joe says. “We can go to Lush and get you really pampered. Bath bombs, oils, face masks, the works.”

“And this isn’t pampering?” Rami asks, laughing.

“The salts are for sore muscles.”

Rami blinks. “What sore muscles?”

Joe rolls his eyes. “You do remember last night, right? I tied you up and then we fell asleep on your couch?”

Rami laughs. “I’m not that sore. You, uh,” he shrugs, “took good care of me.”

“Well, consider the bath part of the care.” Joe sips at his beer. 

The camera moves around and then Joe is getting a side view of Rami, shoulders up. Rami looks warm and relaxed. 

“So what do you do? Like, your job?” Joe asks, as Rami sinks into the tub.

“I’m a lawyer,” Rami says, sounding drowsy.

“Criminal law?”

“Civil. I don’t think I could defend criminals. I really just go over property contracts. It’s boring.”

“But you look amazing in a suit, I bet,” Joe says.

Rami laughs. “I guess?” He wrinkles his nose. 

“No, I’m sure of it. Your waist alone. And if you dress in blue or green? Man, your eyes would be incredible.”

Rami covers his face, blushing. “Fuck, come on Joe.”

“No, I remember you marked on the checklist you had a praise kink,” Joe teases, spreading his thighs. He’s not going to jerk off on the phone with Rami. Afterwards, hell yes. But right now he needs to focus on his sub.

“I know, you highlighted it and added about a thousand exclamation marks,” Rami says, looking over at him, heavy lidded.

“What can I say, I’m excited about your kinks.”

Rami actually giggles. 

Joe doesn’t let out a dreamy sigh at this, but it’s close. “Want me to stop?” he asks.

Rami bites his lip, thinking. “No,” he says his voice low. “Don’t stop.”

_Fuck._

“You are very beautiful, you know,” Joe says, voice breaking. He clears his throat and continues, “When I first saw you, I was stunned. Your eyes, and voice, they get to me like nothing else. When I dommed Ben, I was so worried you’d say no, because I want that with you, Rami.”

Rami groans, throwing his head back and sinking further into the tub, water sloshing at the motion. 

“I want to tie you up in silk,” Joe continues, “I’ll dye it lilac because that’ll look so good against your skin. And when you were in class with me? Oh, Rami you were so good for me. I was so torn because I didn’t want it to be a demonstration, I wanted to take you downstairs and show you off, let everyone know you were mine, if only for the next hour.”

Rami gasps, dropping an arm in the water and then slinging it back out again immediately. “Joe,” he moans, and Joe about loses it.

“What do you need?” he asks. “You want to hear more? You want to hear how sweet you were for me? You listened so well, you asked for comfort so I could give it to you, and you let me take care of you. Maybe next time I’ll book the room down the hall and give you a massage, would you like that?”

Rami’s skin is flushed, his mouth open. He lets out a whine. 

“Wish I was there,” Joe says, dangerously telling the truth. “Wish I could make sure the water was just right for your skin, wish I could wash you, not missing one spot.”

“Joe,” Rami says, and there’s the squeak of wet skin gripping ceramic, slipping. “I need, can I?”

“Can you what, sweetheart?” Joe asks, eyes glued to his phone, reaching down to adjust the pressing erection in his jeans.

“I wanna,” he whines. 

“Gotta be specific, Rami.”

“I’m hard,” he says, huffing out a laugh. “I’m so hard, and I want to come, can I please touch myself?”

Joe checks his watch. 11:15. “Think you can touch yourself and not come for five minutes?”

“Fuck!” Rami says. “I don’t know.”

“You can hold your cock loosely, but don’t stroke,” Joe says.

Rami’s arm slaps into the water, eager to feel himself.

“What am I doing, holding myself for five minutes?” Rami asks, voice high, sounding delirious.

“Your bath is supposed to be for at least twenty minutes,” Joe says, not budging. “So you can come, but not until you’ve finished your bath.”

Rami’s breathing is heavy, and Joe watches him, listens carefully for the sound of sloshing water, but there’s nothing.

“Good boy,” Joe says a minute later. “Start stroking yourself, but slowly.”

Rami lets out a shaky breath, and Joe can hear the rhythmic splash of water on the sides of the tub.

“That’s it,” Joe says, “nice and easy. Next time I make you take a bath, I’m gonna be there to watch you. Because as much as I love this, and I do, I want to see all of you. Want to touch you, I want to make you come with my hands and not yours.”

Rami gasps, his face turns towards the camera, his eyes shut tight.

“You thinking about it?” Joe asks, his voice rough from want. “Because when we’re finished here, that’s what I’m gonna think about.”

Rami bites his lip, jerking. He opens his eyes, and they’re heavy with desire. “You’re gonna think about me?” he asks, and he sounds so unsure.

“I’m gonna think about jerking you off while you’re in my arms,” Joe admits. “I’m gonna think about sucking you off, about eating you out, I’m gonna think about fingering you open til you can’t take it anymore,” he says.

Rami is panting, and Joe wishes there weren’t miles between them. 

Joe glances down at his watch. 11:21. 

“But I’m gonna think about finally, finally getting to fuck into you, and wrecking you until you’re completely lost, gone, only focused on me.”

“Joe,” Rami moans. “Please.”

“You can come, now,” Joe says, and Rami grunts, his eyes closed, gasping, hunched over in pleasure. His breath hitches and his head is thrown back.

“Fuck,” Rami says, sinking back down into the water when he’s done.

“Beautiful,” Joe says, blushing.

Rami hums, and he lazily turns to the camera, arms crossed over the lip of the tub. “That was nice,” he says.

“You feeling okay?” Joe asks, before taking a long swallow of his beer. It’s not as cold, probably from Joe gripping it so tightly, his body temperature considerably higher now.

“I feel great,” Rami says, smiling. “I’m gonna drain the tub and go sleep for days now.”

“Sounds good.”

Rami looks considering. “Are you really?” he asks, before leaning up and pulling the plug. 

“Am I really what?” Joe asks.

“Gonna jerk off?” Rami picks up the phone, and Joe gets a glimpse of wet torso as Rami steps out of the tub.

Joe coughs. “Um,” he says. “Yeah. I’m not without a libido.”

“I mean are you gonna jerk off thinking about what you said,” Rami says, and there’s a darkening across his nose and cheeks.

“Pretty much, although I might add a few details.”

“Like what?” Rami sets the phone down and Joe is watching him towel off, before slipping into a robe.

“Jesus, Rami,” Joe says, rubbing the beer bottle on his face to cool down.

“How the tables have turned,” Rami teases.

“Yes, okay?” Joe says. “I’m gonna jerk off thinking about fucking you. It’s going to be an elaborate fantasy, starring you, silk rope, my bed, and copious amounts of lube.”

Rami hums, looking pleased. Then he turns shy again. “I uh, I got checked after Ellia,” he says.

“Checked?” Joe asks, trying to follow the train of thought.

“Tested,” Rami clarifies, and Joe’s brain nearly short circuits.

“That’s good,” Joe says, voice cracking. “It’s good to get tested every six months or so, I do that too.”

“I know, I saw the attachment with the contract,” Rami laughs, easy. “Anyways, all that to say, when you have your elaborate fantasy, you don’t have to include condoms.” He grins, devious, and the call ends abruptly.

“Fuck,” Joe hisses, slamming the beer bottle on the coffee table, and scrambling to open his jeans, now painfully trapping his erection. He licks his hand and grips himself, stripping his cock furiously, imagining being able to slide into Rami without protection, to come in him while he’s all tied up. 

The pleasure builds while he thinks about having Rami open, his hole dripping from lube and Joe. Joe grunts as he comes embarrassingly fast, trying to catch all the cum in his hand. It mostly works, and he gets up, having to kick off his pants and shoes and walk to the bathroom and before he washes it down the sink. 

He gets ready for bed, taking his time, and picks up his phone. 

Rami didn’t text him, or call back.

Joe sends a text. _You are incorrigible._

_Too much?_ Rami sends back.

_Let’s just say the elaborate fantasy is now a plan,_ Joe texts.

_When?_

_I’ll give you a heads up, don’t worry._

Joe hums, and goes online, filling out a form for the massage room for an hour after the next class, takes a screenshot and sends it to Rami. 

_Next week is this,_ he says. _Maybe if you’re especially good we can do some other stuff._

_I’ll be exemplary_ , Rami sends, followed by three angel emojis.

_I know you will_ , Joe says, and falls asleep, loosely holding the phone.

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Joe and Rami text back and forth for the next week, Joe checking in that Rami’s okay, Rami assuring him that he is.

Joe’s just glad Rami’s not exasperated with him yet.

Joe spends Friday afternoon before class looking at an absurd amount of massage oils in a specialty store before just grabbing some almond oil and essential lavender, vanilla, and sandalwood oils and mixing it up at home. The result smells calming and a little spicy. If Rami is good, and sweet Jesus, Joe wants that, then Joe can use the silicone lube for internal use.

Joe sends a picture of the concoction to Rami with the message, _tonight_ , and an orange heart.

Rami sends back some exclamation marks. _I can’t focus on this case,_ he texts. _All I can think of is tonight._

Joe laughs. _Just three more hours, you can do it._

Joe gets to the club early and hunts down the thermostat for the upper rooms, surreptitiously cranking the heat up. The manager can yell at him later.

The students trickle in, Rami the last to arrive. He’s wide eyed and worried looking. 

“Hang on, folks,” Joe tells the class and pulls Rami aside. Rami ducks his head. “What’s wrong?” Joe asks quietly.

“I’m late,” Rami whispers.

“Class doesn’t start for another minute,” Joe says, shaking his head. “You’re not late.”

Rami looks torn. “I said I would be good, and I’ve already ruined it.”

“Rami, look at me,” Joe tells him, and Rami lifts his chin, and slowly, his eyes meet Joe’s. “You’re here. You’re not late. I didn’t ask for you to be early. I asked for you to help me with the class, then let me have the honor of massaging you later.”

Rami sighs. “Sorry, I —” he shrugs. 

“Do you need instructions?” Joe asks. “Do you need a scene?”

Rami closes his eyes and nods. 

Joe swallows. “Alright. Let’s teach the class some moves, and I’ll lead you to the massage room and we’ll start, okay?”

Rami smiles slowly. “Okay,” he repeats, agreeing. 

“Great.” Joe digs through his backpack and pulls out two bottles of water. “Drink these slowly through the next hour?”

Rami takes them and nods, heading to his seat.

“Okay, thanks for waiting everyone,” Joe says, and rubs his hands together. “Let’s get knotty,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows, picking up the rope to a chorus of groans.

“You guys have no taste,” he huffs.

He shows them the basics, the building blocks of rope bondage: lark’s head, surgeon’s knot, extending the rope, and the cross hitch. 

He makes everyone, subs included, show him their work.

“Okay, last week we did an elbow tie, or hobble. This week,” he pauses, “We’re gonna work on the bikini harness and the,” he grimaces, “crotch rope.”

“Is the crotch rope difficult?” Lucy asks, concerned.

“No, it’s just a God awful name for something fun,” Joe replies. “Rami, if you could please undress? You can keep on your underwear.”

Rami stands, and takes off his clothes, the other subs in the room following suit. Joe wishes it was just them, wishes he didn’t have to have his attention ripped from Rami’s perfect form. He picks up the cotton rope and guides the class through the knots of the bikini harness, how to use up the extra length in the back. 

Joe makes extra sure the cords aren’t too tight, and that they don’t touch Rami’s neck. The ropes criss cross in the back, and loop around to the front like an open corset, wrapping around the chest above and below Rami’s pecs. There’s Joe’s favorite part; the length between the chest bindings attaching the two lines together. He tugs at it, demonstrating to the class how it’s a good handle, if used properly. 

Rami’s body rocks forward at the tug. Joe wants to pull him into his arms, kiss and bite that infuriatingly plump upper lip. 

“Okay, everybody unwind the bindings,” Joe says instead, taking a deep breath. 

He then shows everyone the crotch rope, for both male and female forms. He gets to touch Rami’s waist, to grip his thighs, to beautifully frame his growing erection in rope. Joe drags Rami around with him because he’s loathe to leave Rami in front of the room alone.

Rami just smirks, skin darkening with the flush of his cheeks. Joe has never been more ready for a class to be over, and that’s including bio 102 in college. 

Finally, it’s twenty til, and Joe claps his hands. “Let’s tie this up,” he says, and everyone bemoans another fabulous pun. “You’re just tightly wound,” he carries on, and Rami laughs, even if he looks like he’s embarrassed.

“At least Rami thinks I’m funny,” Joe says, and starts the process of taking off Rami’s bindings. 

“Well, he’s wrapped around your finger,” Lucy says, smirking. Clementine rolls her eyes so hard it looks painful. 

“Glad I’m in the same boat as you, Rami,” Clementine says.

“We’ll start our own club,” Rami agrees. “Subs for doms that pun.”

Joe makes everyone apply lotion to the subs before they can leave.

“Rami’s not getting lotioned?” Clementine asks, and Rami blushes.

“Joe’s rented a massage room,” he says.

Lucy and Clementine grin like two cats that got the cream. “Have fun,” they titter, before stepping out. They’re the last to leave. 

“There’s a restroom at the end of the hall,” Joe tells Rami. “Go freshen up and meet me in room 208.”

Rami swallows, nodding and walks off, still in just his underwear. Joe steadies himself and heads to the room to set up. 

He slips off his shoes and socks, and rolls up the sleeves of his shirt, carefully following the creases of the cuffs.

He checks that the massage table has been wiped down, pulls out some soft towels from his backpack, rope, the massage oil, and the lube. He dims the lights down, so it’s not glaringly bright.

He’s in the middle of wondering if lighting the handful of unscented tea candles he brought is too much, but thinks, fuck it, it’s supposed to be relaxing and lights them up.

Rami steps in as Joe is putting the lighter back in his bag. He raises his eyebrows. “Wow,” he says, taking in the room.

“It’s too much, right?” Joe asks. “Ambience is a major flaw of mine.”

“No,” Rami says, eyes wide, taking in the scene. “It’s perfect.”

“Great,” Joe breathes out, relieved. “Tell me your safeword,” he says.

“Milk,” Rami says, head tilted. “Your’s is egret.”

Joe smiles. “You remembered.”

“Do I need to follow any rules?” Rami asks. “No noises, or should I call you something specific?”

“Please make all the noise you want,” Joe says. “Just do what I tell you.” He shrugs. “You can call me Joe.”

“Can I?” Rami stops himself, licking his lips.

“Can you what?” Joe asks.

“Can I call you sir? Ben did that, and I liked it. And I liked it when you said I was a good boy.” Rami rushes this out all in one breath, and Joe has to take a moment to decipher it. 

“Yeah,” Joe says, voice deep, almost cracking. “You can call me sir. And I’ll call you Rami, or a good boy.”

“You can just say boy,” Rami says, unable to make eye contact.

“Not when you’re so good for me, I can’t.”

Rami blushes, swallows, his eyes shutting softly. 

“Ready?” Joe asks, and Rami looks him in the eye and nods. 

“Yes sir.”

And if that doesn’t do it for Joe. He wants to hear those words again and again, spilling out of Rami’s mouth in supplication.

“Get undressed, get on the massage table on your front.” he orders, and Rami slips out of his final layer, and Joe about dies from how deliciously beautiful this man is. 

Joe grabs the massage oil and pours a little bit of it in his hands, letting it warm up while Rami climbs onto the table, the leather creaking under him. 

Joe starts with Rami’s feet, and slowly works his hands up Rami’s calves and thighs. He grips Rami’s hips and squeezes, thumbs splaying out to lightly tan cheeks. 

Rami sighs as Joe shifts up to the back, pressing on his lower back, tickling the dimples there, trailing up his spine. Joe smoothes Rami’s ribs, and digs into his neck and shoulders, going down each arm, and pops Rami’s fingers.

“Feeling okay?” Joe asks, and Rami hums.

“Yes sir,” Rami replies, his tone low and sleepy. 

“Turn over.”

Rami does, slipping on the table and laughs as Joe reaches out to steady him.

“Sorry, I probably used too much oil,” Joe admits, grabbing a towel and patting Rami down gently. Joe lays the towel on the table and then guides Rami back down.

Rami sighs, undulating his body as Joe scratches his head, tugging lightly at his curls, and gently runs his thumbs over those killer cheekbones. Rami’s eyes are closed, and feeling brave, Joe delicately runs the pads of his fingers over Rami’s soft lips, brushing back and forth. Rami’s eyes flutter open, and he shivers, eyes locked on Joe. 

Joe wants to kiss him. Lay on top of Rami and bruise those pretty lips from kissing alone, make them redden and swell from Joe’s fervor. Instead, Joe trickles his fingers down Rami’s neck and Rami closes his eyes again, humming.

He glides a hand down to Rami’s chest. There’s not much chest hair, but Joe runs his fingers through and gently tugs, before spreading out to Rami’s dark nipples. 

Joe flicks his thumb over one of the pert buds, back and forth, before tracking his way to the other nipple and repeating the same motion.

Rami bites his lip and pushes his chest up, moaning.

“Oh, you like that?” Joe asks, and Rami nods, eyes squeezed shut.

“Yes sir,” he says.

Joe twists a nipple between his slick fingers, plucking at one and then the other. “Next time I’ll get clamps,” Joe promises. “Maybe on a gold chain so I can tug on them when I’m fucking you.”

Rami gasps, his body twisting in pleasure as Joe flicks at the sore and turgid flesh. 

Joe moves on, even if he could spend the rest of the hour playing with Rami’s nipples. He gets more oil and massages Rami’s stomach, rucking up the dark trail of hair to his center. Rami’s hips naturally thrust up, anticipating, but Joe’s hands swerve around Rami’s hard, curving cock and back down to the top of his thighs. 

Rami whines, high, trying to wiggle his hips into Joe’s hands. “Please, sir?” he asks.

“Oh you asked so nicely,” Joe says, sighing, running his hands up and down lithe thighs, pushing them apart.

Rami nods, ready, eager. 

Joe shakes his head. “Not yet,” he says, and Rami lets out a frustrated moan. 

Joe laughs. “You’ve been awfully wriggly,” he continues, and Rami looks concerned. “No, no, sweetheart,” he says, soothing Rami’s fears. “You’ve been such a good boy. But I don’t want you falling off the table, either.”

Rami’s head thumps back and he lets out a steadying sigh. He stills, waiting.

Joe watches, mesmerized as Rami tries to will himself into not moving. He gently lays Rami’s legs down, and picks up the black silk rope he brought to the club for just this. 

He shows Rami. “I was thinking we could use this,” he says. Rami smiles, looking relieved. “Arms above your head, wrists together.” Joe watches as Rami complies, and take’s Rami’s hips in his hands and pulls him down so the bottom of his ass meets the edge of the table.

Rami huffs, breathing heavily, and watches as Joe wraps Rami’s wrists individually before pulling them together, making a braid down to the rings on the massage table.

“Squeeze my fingers,” Joe says, and Rami does. “Good boy, Rami.”

Rami tugs at the rope, testing its strength.

Joe takes his next length of rope and ties Rami’s open thighs over the edge of the table, securing them.

Rami squirms in the rope, seeing where the limits are. He goes limp, seemingly satisfied with Joe’s work. 

Joe gets the massage oil one last time. He scrapes fingernails along Rami’s wide open inner thighs, before pressing his thumbs along the deep vee of where Rami’s thighs and hips meet. Joe works his way around Rami’s hips, carefully avoiding Rami’s painful looking erection, and presses in just below his belly button.

Rami gasps, looking at Joe.

Joe grins at him.

Rami’s eyebrows come together, and he keens, trying to lift his hips with trapped thighs. “Please, sir,” he says. “Please touch me.”

Joe is tempted. Beyond words. But he also gets a malicious joy from watching Rami struggle in his binds, untouched, cock furiously red and aching.

“Rami, how many times can you come in one hour?” he asks, stepping up to let his clothed erection press against Rami’s ass.

Rami closes his eyes tightly, and shakes his head. “Don’t know, sir,” he says. 

“Think you can try for two, tonight?”

Rami looks at him, teary eyed, shaking. He nods. “Yes sir,” he says. “Please sir.”

“Good boy,” Joe says softly, and eyes locked on Rami’s face, reaches and lightly dances his fingers over Rami’s dick, sweetly cupping his sac and running slick fingers almost up to the tip.

Rami is trembling, coming apart in his hands, and Joe takes the chance to look down at Rami’s cock. 

“That’s a lot of precome, baby,” Joe says in awe. It’s dripping onto Rami’s oiled abs. “Wonder if it’s as sweet as you.” He leans down and licks up a broad stripe of the spilled fluid and Rami yells at the sensation, trying to sit up, but the ropes keep him in place. 

“It is,” Joe whispers, and takes Rami’s cock into his mouth, eager to chase that salty tang. 

Joe has the pleasure of giving Rami a blowjob for all of three moments before Rami is desperately trying and failing to buck into his mouth, spilling cum over Joe’s tongue and gasping. Joe laps it up, and slowly strokes Rami through the orgasm. 

Joe looks up, Rami’s chest heaving. 

“What’s your color, Rami?” Joe asks, running a hand up his side.

“Green,” Rami says slowly, the word slurred.

Joe hums. “Good.” He slips off his jeans so his erection won’t be in such pain, and picks up the lube. “You said you would be exemplary, and you have been,” he says. 

He warms up the lube between his fingers, and presses his finger gently on Rami’s perineum, that soft spot between his sac and his twitching hole.

He slips a finger down to the puckered flesh, circling and rubbing, letting his finger run down Rami’s crack before coming back up to circle and tap again. 

Rami moans, and Joe watches, mesmerized as Rami’s hole twitches, his thighs try to widen even further, welcoming Joe in. 

Joe grips one of Rami’s thighs and presses in a finger, watching as Rami’s body accepts him. “God so fucking beautiful,” Joe says, and Rami writhes in reply. 

Rami’s eyes lazily and calmly watch him, his body so responsive to Joe’s every touch. Joe fingers him open, one finger, then two, scissoring and curling up to rub against his prostate. 

Rami starts sobbing, long, low moans of want, when Joe adds a third finger, pushing into Rami’s body, letting his pinkie and thumb catch on the rim, stretching him wide. 

Rami’s erection comes back while Joe works him open. 

“Sir,” Rami says, tossing his head back and forth. “Fuck, please!”

Joe gets on his knees and pulls his fingers out, grabbing Rami’s cock instead and mouths at Rami’s sloppy hole.

Joe licks into him, tongue in turns pointed and sharp, fat and slow. He starts pumping Rami faster and faster, cock slippery in his hand from the lube. He twists his wrist at Rami’s head, and turns to bite Rami’s thigh, sure and swift.

Rami yelps, his hips thrusting upward, and Joe stops working Rami’s cock, giving a final kiss to his thighs, his ass, the swell of his tight sac and the tip of his cock before letting go and standing up.

Rami is moaning, body pleading for a second release, and Joe watches him writhe, his own cock rock hard and wanting. 

“Please,” Rami keeps saying, “please sir, please.”

“Please, what, Rami?”

“Fuck me,” he whines, desperately trying to get closer to Joe, unable to go anywhere. “Please fuck me?”

“You want my cock?” Joe asks, sounding hoarse from want. “You want me to use this pretty ass of yours?”

“Yes,” Rami hisses. “Yes, please.” Rami wearily lifts his head. “Take it off,” he moans.

Joe blinks. Take what off?

“Wanna see you,” Rami continues, “please, sir, wanna see you.”

“You want me to take my shirt off?” Joe asks. He feels somewhat winded by the request. What does Joe have that Rami could possibly want?

Rami nods. “Please, I’ll be so good,” he says, starting to babble.

Joe slowly unbuttons his shirt, watching Rami, whose eyes are locked on his hands. Joe shrugs it off and Rami sighs, moans, and his thighs clench. 

Joe slips his underwear off, finally releasing his cock. Joe grips himself, stepping between Rami’s thighs and sliding his cock against Rami’s crack. The sensation is incredible, and Joe grips Rami’s thigh and moans.

He fumbles for the lube, internally cursing because where has his cool demeanor gone? It probably left ages ago, came back to visit at the start of the scene and then left again as soon as Rami opened his mouth and called him sir.

Joe slicks himself up, and presses the head of his cock to Rami’s entrance. 

Rami keens, trying to fuck himself onto Joe’s dick.

Joe swallows, relishing in the moment before slowly guiding himself into Rami. It’s tight, and Joe groans at the sensation of Rami’s body gripping him. 

“Fuck,” he whispers as he bottoms out. “What color, Rami?”

Rami groans, head thrown back, neck exposed. 

“Rami,” Joe snaps. “What color?”

“Green,” Rami says, sounding wrecked. “It’s so good, sir, thank you.”

Joe pulls his hips back, slowly dragging his cock out before slamming back in.

Rami grunts, and Joe grabs Rami’s hips and builds up a rhythm, fucking into him. Soon it’s the sound of Joe’s breath over Rami’s growing moans that gets to Joe, the sound of his hips slapping against Rami’s open ass keeping time. 

Joe rakes his eyes over Rami’s body, beautifully bound and covered in a sheen of sweat and oil. Joe angles up to hit Rami’s prostate, again and again, and Rami starts shaking, gripping the ropes. 

“You okay, sweetheart?” Joe asks, not stopping. 

Rami nods, gasping, tears streaming down his face. Joe slides a hand up to Rami’s dripping cock and starts pumping him.

“You gonna come for me?” Joe asks, twisting his hips into Rami. “You gonna get yourself messy so I can clean you up?”

Rami’s eyes roll back, fluttering. 

“So good for me,” Joe tells him, rubbing a thumb over Rami’s cock head. “So sweet and open, taking me in like you’re meant to. Wanna fuck you for days.”

Joe can feel the building heat in his body, rising up to completion, so he starts working Rami’s cock quickly, not wanting to come without Rami.

He thrusts faster, stripping Rami’s cock quickly, and puts a steadying hand on the table before leaning far enough over to bite at Rami’s nipple.

That’s when Rami comes, screaming, thick ropes of white cum spilling out of him and onto their stomachs.

Joe guides him through the orgasm, slowly stroking Rami’s cock, still pumping his hips.

Rami is humming, loose in his ties, but his ass is clenching around Joe’s cock, and Rami mumbles something, before Joe understands, “Please come,” Rami says. “Come in me sir.”

Joe shouts, hips stuttering, cock pulsing in Rami. It feels like his orgasm was punched out of him. He slows down, sighing, feeling the cooling sweat roll down his back as he pulls out.

“Jesus Christ, look at you,” Joe says, and watches as cum and lube trickle out of Rami. “Fuck.”

Joe loosens the ties, wipes Rami down with water and a cloth, and towels him off. “How’re you doing?” he asks, and Rami turns his head to look at him limply.

“Good,” Rami says, voice wrecked.

“Awesome.” Joe rubs Palmer’s over Rami’s limbs and chest and guides him to sit up so he can drape a blanket over his shoulders. “C’mere,” Joe says, and Rami practically falls into his arms. 

Joe drags them both to the nearby couch and runs his fingers through Rami’s curls. He adjusts the blanket around Rami’s body.

Feeling brave, he kisses Rami’s neck. Rami sighs, tilting his head to give Joe more room.

“You were amazing,” he says. “So incredibly good for me, thank you.”

Rami hums, curling into Joe. 

“Would you like some water?” Joe asks, reaching for the bottles he placed near the couch earlier.

Rami nods, and slowly takes sips. 

Joe keeps his touch light and easy, running fingertips over Rami’s oddly pointed ears, feeling the line of his jaw, the jut of his chin.

Joe offers chocolate, and Rami takes it, nibbling small bites.

“Still feeling okay?” Joe asks after a few minutes.

Rami laughs, low and relaxed. “I haven’t dropped like that in ages,” he admits. He licks melted chocolate off his fingers. 

“Glad I could do that for you,” Joe says. 

“Come over to my place?” Rami asks, laying his head on Joe’s chest. 

“Of course.”

They lay there for a few more moments before they get up and dressed, Joe blowing out the candles and dumping the barely there wax out. He packs up all his supplies while Rami waits, blanket over his clothed body.

“Okay, let’s go,” Joe says, ordering a Lyft and holding onto Rami’s hands.

“Can I take off the blanket now?” Rami teases, and Joe huffs, but relents. 

Joe makes sure he’s pressed against Rami the whole ride to his place, not once leaving him alone.

Rami lays his head on Joe’s shoulder, soaking it up.

“What do you need?” Joe asks as soon as they’re inside.

Rami hums, taking off his jacket and shirt, and Joe’s eyes narrow in on the bite mark around Rami’s nipple.

“Another massage?” Joe asks, taking a steadying breath. “A bath?”

“Come to bed with me,” Rami says, and Joe follows him into the bedroom as Rami strips off his clothes again.

Rami climbs under the comforter and sheets and watches as Joe takes off his shoes and jeans. Joe starts for the bed, but Rami narrows his eyes and shakes his head.

“What?” Joe laughs.

“All of it,” Rami demands. “Off.”

Joe mockingly puts his hands on his hips. “What if I want to sleep like this?”

“Nope. No one is allowed in this bed unless naked.” Rami laughs, and watches with bright eyes as Joe peels off the rest of his clothes.

“Don’t see why,” Joe grumbles, ducking under the covers.

“Because I like it,” Rami insists, wiggling back into Joe, and Joe wraps his arms around him, tucking his knees behind Rami’s own. 

“Yes, the rare, naked ginger,” Joe drawls. “Always a sight to behold.”

Rami laughs. “I’m serious,” he says, pressing tighter to Joe. He pauses a moment. “You’re beautiful, Joe.”

Joe closes his eyes, his heart clenching in want and nuzzles against Rami’s neck, sighing. “Thank you,” he says. “You’re beautiful, too.”

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Joe makes sure that Rami is not in any discomfort before he leaves in the morning, with the promise that Rami will call him if anything comes up, including changes in mood.

“I’m not gonna go into sub drop,” Rami says, rolling his eyes.

Joe looks at him straight on, firm and unyielding. “Call me tonight, okay?”

Rami nods. “Okay.”

Joe leaves, and work that night is dragging, a strangely slow Saturday night. He checks his phone, seeing a message from Gwil.

Curious, he thumbs open his phone. _Rami says you’re treating him well._

_I’m good too, in case you were wondering._

_Is it a crime to check in on a sub? I think you should be proud._

Joe sighs. _I think I may be more into him than he is into me._

The three dots pop up, disappear, and pop up again. Y _ou’re an idiot. Please talk to your new sub. Love you xx._

Joe is in the middle of typing a swath of rolling eye and middle finger emojis to send to Gwil when a customer comes up and asks for a flight of shots. Back to work.

Rami calls at exactly 11 again, just as Joe gets in his apartment building, thanking non-deities for the elevator.

“Hi,” he says breathlessly.

“I’m calling per your request,” Rami says. He sounds business like and clipped.

Joe pauses. “Rami,” he says. “Did I push you too hard?” Sometimes sub drop happens days after a scene, and maybe Joe was being too demanding with his concerns. 

The elevator doors open just as Rami sighs. “No,” he says. “I’m just, I don’t know, listless.”

Joe freezes and the doors close. “Listless?” he asks. 

“Yeah, just.” There’s a shuffling noise. “Weird, I guess.”

Joe wants to curse, but holds it in. “What do you need?” he asks. 

Rami is silent for a long moment.

“Rami, I’m here for you, whatever you want. Please, just ask me.”

“Can you spend the night again?” Rami asks finally.

“Yeah,” Joe says. “Yeah of course. I’m at my apartment right now, is it okay if I grab a few things? Clothes, toothbrush?”

“Okay. Can you keep talking to me? I mean,” Rami clears his throat. “Stay on the line until you get here?”

“Absolutely. I’m like ten minutes out.” Joe jabs the elevator button again, willing it to open quickly, and like magic, it does. “I’m in the elevator now.”

“Oh that’s nice,” Rami says. “It’s not a walk up?”

“I live on the seventeenth floor, it better not be. Listen, I had an idea.”

“About what?” Rami asks, still sounding tense.

“I know on your checklist you said toys were okay. But I didn’t see anything about clothing?”

“Clothing?” Rami asks.

“Yeah, you know, like lingerie.”

Rami is quiet. Joe feels like an idiot. 

“I mean,” he starts, “I’d pick it out for you. You don’t have to wear it, but I’m a gift giver. I love surprises, so…”

“I’d like that,” Rami says, interrupting. “Did you,” he clears his throat. “Have something in mind?”

“Yep,” Joe says, popping his lips, and smiling. “But that’s all I’m gonna say.”

Joe grabs the essentials while making Rami talk, and then heads out to grab a taxi.

Rami gets more and more quiet as Joe gets closer to the apartment, so Joe fills up the space with words: how his shift at the club was, his least favorite shot to make (the purple nurple), and latest shopping excursion. 

Finally, finally, the cab pulls up to Rami’s apartment building and Joe pays the driver before practically flinging himself out of the car and running into the building.

The doorman nods, now recognizing Joe, and Joe waves before beelining to the elevator bay. 

“I’m in the elevator, okay?” Joe says, heart racing. “I’m almost there, just hang on,” he continues, and Rami lets out a weak agreement and Joe wants to cry.

When he gets to the door Joe knocks softly. “It’s me,” he says.

Rami opens the door immediately and Joe flings himself at the man, holding him, phone clattering to the floor.

Rami is shaking, sniffling, his free hand clutching at Joe’s arm.

“Okay, I’m here,” Joe says. 

“I’m sorry,” Rami whines, and Joe’s heart just about breaks.

“Please don’t apologize,” he says. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, I didn’t read the signs, I left too early, I —” 

Rami shakes his head, tucking his face into Joe’s neck. “I don’t know what happened.”

Joe guides them back to shut the door so Rami’s neighbors won’t see, and rubs his hands on Rami’s back.

“Let’s go take a bath,” he says after Rami takes some steadying breaths. “No sexy times, just, you know, warm water. Then we can talk.”

Rami nods, reluctantly letting go. Joe grips his hand and guides him to the bathroom. 

Joe turns on the water, checking the temperature, and scrounges for anything resembling bubble bath. He ends up pouring in epsom salts, some of Rami’s body wash, and bath gel, letting it foam up. He pulls out leftover candles from his backpack and lights them, sets out the massage oil and pours a little bit of that too.

“That’s a lot,” Rami says.

“It’s a specialty blend,” Joe says, joking. “I’m thinking of bottling it.” He turns off the water.

Rami’s lips curve in a small smile before fading.

Joe slowly strips Rami of his clothes, carefully placing them on the counter. He guides Rami into the tub. 

“You’re not joining me?” Rami asks, sitting down.

“I can,” Joe says. He lets his clothes fall on the floor and slips into the water behind Rami. They have to adjust a bit, but eventually Rami’s back is on Joe’s chest, his head on Joe’s shoulder, his hands gripping Joe’s arms wrapped around his torso.

Joe closes his eyes, presses his cheek to Rami’s forehead. 

“It was special, last night,” Rami says, sighing. “I promise you did all the right things.”

Joe hums, willing himself to listen. 

“I think,” Rami continues, “I think it has to do with Ellia.”

Joe holds in a growl, feeling his anger rising. 

“She, at the start, it was okay. But she didn’t listen, or maybe I didn’t express my boundaries, or something. Last night was so good, and it’s like, what did I do wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Joe insists. “You were perfect for me.”

“I mean, before, with her,” Rami clarifies. “Was I not clear enough? Was I wrong for changing my needs? Or, and I know, it’s crazy, but I keep thinking, did I deserve it?”

Joe squeezes his eyes, feeling tears well up. “Absolutely not,” he says, voice warbling. He grips Rami tightly in his arms. “You did not deserve what she did to you.”

Rami lets out a shaky sigh. “Thanks Joe.” he draws up his knees. “It’s funny, you know? I broke up with her six months ago. I went to therapy. But one scene and I’m back in this headspace.”

Joe frowns. “Do you think it’s the scene itself?” he asks. “Like, do you want to continue doing this together?” 

Rami grabs Joe’s hand. “Don’t even think that,” he says. “I need this. I’m still healing, that’s all.”

Joe hums in reply, entwining their fingers together. “Okay,” he says, running a thumb over Rami’s wrist. “Healing is good.”

They stay quiet for another minute or so. 

“Let me wash you?” Joe asks. 

Rami nods, and Joe pours shower gel into his hand and lathers it up, before palming the soap over Rami’s body, his back and chest and arms before making him stand up. Joe then cleans Rami’s legs and feet, and gently but not fondling, his cock, balls, and ass. 

Joe pours water over Rami’s shoulders, making sure all the soap is gone before draining the tub, getting them both to step out. 

Joe pats Rami dry, checking his arms and legs for any bruises, and aside from the bite marks on his chest and inner thigh, there’s only a few dark places on Rami’s thighs where Joe’s fingers dug in. Joe kisses his fingers and runs them over the purpling marks, feeling reverent.

Joe then lotions Rami from head to foot with Palmer’s cream before grabbing a robe off the back of the bathroom door and helping Rami into it.

Joe quickly towels off, and he and Rami pad over to the bed, welcoming and unmade. They slip under the covers, and Rami curls into Joe’s side like he belongs there.

They fall asleep, Joe breathing in Rami’s clean scent. 

 

When Joe wakes up, Rami is pressed into him, thigh slung over Joe’s hips, and Joe’s right arm is dead asleep from Rami’s weight.

Joe reaches down and delicately lifts Rami’s leg off of him, trying to roll out his arm from Rami’s chest. 

Rami grunts and scoots closer. 

“Rami, c’mon,” Joe says. “I gotta pee.”

Rami groggily opens his eyes and stares. “Fine,” he says, and rolls away.

Joe goes through his morning ablutions and comes back to the bed. “You gonna sleep some more?” Joe asks. 

Rami hums from the lump of covers. 

Joe, God help him, finds it endearing. “Okay, I’ll make breakfast.” He walks into the kitchen and picks up his phone, still on the floor from last night. The battery is at five percent so he plugs it into the kitchen counter outlet. He thumbs through his messages from last night, pausing over his conversation with Gwil. 

Joe starts making coffee, while thinking about the texts. 

Gwil said that he should talk to Rami.

It’s closer to actual morning in Mexico, so Joe dials him on FaceTime, putting pans on the stove and heating them up. 

“Joe?” Gwilym answers, face too close to the screen before adjusting. “Everything alright?”

“Rami went into sub drop last night,” Joe replies. “Still think I should be proud?”

Gwil sighs. “Sub drops happen,” he says. “It doesn’t make you a bad dom.”

Joe shrugs, not so sure. There’s loud mumbling from off screen.

“Did you hear that?” Gwil asks.

“No, was that Ben?”

“Yes, he says you’re a good dom.”

Joe covers his head in his hands. “I can’t help but think it’s because I have feelings for him,” he says. “I probably pushed him too hard.”

Ben’s head pops into the screen, wide and peeved. “Alright, where are you?” he demands.

“At Rami’s,” Joe says, putting butter in the pan to melt.

“And what are you doing?” Ben continues his interrogation over Gwil’s protests about his phone.

“Making breakfast.”

“Where’s Rami?”

“In bed.” Joe cracks four eggs into the pan, not sure where the line of questioning is going.

“Joe, you’re domestic as fuck, and I respect that,” Ben says. 

“Thanks?”

“You’re also a moron.”

Joe rolls his eyes, groaning. “Why did I even call you guys?”

“Because we’re your friends,” Ben answers. “I know you, and you didn’t push him. Did you talk about the sub drop?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Did Rami say it was your fault?” 

“No,” Joe draws out, knowing what’s coming next, hating that Ben is right.

“So it wasn’t your fault, was it?”

“I guess.” 

“As for your feelings,” Ben continues, before biting his lip. “You know Gwil and I got together after two months, right?” Two months of them mooning over each other and bemoaning to Joe about it. Joe was about to do something drastic like tie them both to the bed in their sleep when Ben finally approached Gwil about subbing for him.

“Yeah, but that’s you guys. I don’t want to pressure him too much.”

Ben sighs, about to say something, when Gwil takes back over. 

“Talk to your sub,” Gwil tells him, nearly shouting. “Love you Joe, kisses.”

“Ugh, you’re so British,” Joe says mock complaining, and Gwil sniffs, sticks his tongue out and ends the call. 

Joe finishes the eggs and slices up some cucumbers, dividing the food on two plates with some cold cuts he found in the fridge. He walks into the bedroom with Rami’s coffee and breakfast and sets it on the bedside table.

“Wakey wakey, eggs and cold cuts!” he says.

Rami emerges from his cocoon, bleary eyed. “You made breakfast?” he sniffs. There are pillow lines on his face, and his hair is a mess, and Joe desperately wants to kiss him.

“Yeah. You need to buy bacon, my breakfast options were sparse,” he says instead.

“I’m not really a fan of bacon,” Rami admits, sitting up. 

“Yes, but if you get bacon, I can say ‘wakey wakey, eggs and bakey,’” Joe says over his shoulder, heading back to the kitchen. “It’s the rhyming that makes the breakfast complete.”

“So I’ll get you some poetry,” Rami shouts.

Joe laughs, and grabs his plate and mug and walks back to the bedroom. “You’re missing the point,” he says. “Breakfast is supposed to be nothing but carbs and protein. Or one or the other.” He picks up a cucumber slice. “I had to add cucumbers. Vegetables! For breakfast!”

Rami huffs a laugh. “Well, I like it,” he says. “Thank you.” His expression turns serious, and he leans over and touches Joe’s wrist lightly. “Thank you,” he repeats. “For everything.”

Joe smiles. “Not a problem. Anytime.”

 

After breakfast, Joe has to leave to get ready for work, although he’s loathe to do so. “Call me, for anything,” he begs Rami, and Rami smiles softly and nods. “Promise?’

“I promise,” Rami says, and Joe has to trust that Rami will.

Work is dull, other than a couple trying to get him into a scene after the bar closes. “Sorry guys,” he shakes his head. “Bartender policy.”

He calls Rami as soon as he’s off work and tells him, thinking it’s amusing.

“They seriously hit on you?” Rami asks, sounding offended.

“I get hit on all the time, it’s the life of a bartender. No one ever really means it.”

“Well, tell them you’re taken next time,” Rami says, huffing.

Joe beams. “Jealous?” he teases, ducking his head. _Taken._

“I know you wouldn’t actually do anything,” Rami amends, sounding soft.

“Absolutely not,” Joe says, and it feels like a promise. 

Joe talks to Rami until he gets to the subway, and then texts him the whole ride home. 

Meanwhile he browses websites for nipple clamps, new toys, and of course, the outfit Joe has in his head for Rami. He rush orders a few things, already developing the next scene in his head. 

He just wishes he had enough money to afford the Louboutin pumps. 

It’s a few days later when he starts making his new rope. He’s had the silk braid for a while, he’s just needed to find the right shade to dye it. It ends up being a mixture of Kool Aid packets and food coloring with vinegar. He sends some of the process pics to Rami. _Hopefully it’s the right shade of purple,_ he texts with a few hearts.

Rami calls him ten minutes later, sounding winded. “You can’t do that,” he hisses when Joe picks up.

“What, dye rope? I’m sorry to inform you, but I can, and I am,” he jokes.

“No. I mean, I’m at work.” His voice sounds weird, echoey. 

“Are you hiding in the bathroom?” Joe asks, laughing.

“Picture it, Joe,” Rami says, voice deep. “I’m looking over a contract for property rights when I get a text. It’s a picture of you dying rope. Rope you’ve specially made so you can tie me up. I have to run to the bathroom with a sudden boner.”

“Wait,” Joe says. “You’re aroused by this?”

Rami lets out a strangled sound. 

“Man, who knew?” he says. “I’ll send you more pictures of my crafting adventures.”

“No,” Rami moans, “please don’t.”

Joe laughs. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he says. “I’ll refrain.”

“Thank you.” He coughs. “Will it be ready by Friday?”

“Yes.” Joe inhales, trying not to imagine Rami hiding in a bathroom stall, half hard and in some typical office attire. Turned on because of Joe. “Did you want to use it then?”

“Please?” Rami asks.

“Okay, here’s the thing,” Joe says. “I don’t want to be away from you after a scene again, for at least twelve hours, okay?”

“Okay?”

“So I’m not going to use it until Saturday night, when you’re at my place.”

Rami lets out a slow breath. “Alright,” he agrees.

“Great, and I won’t send you the pictures of the gifts I bought either.”

“I appreciate it,” Rami sighs, relieved.

“At least not until Friday night,” Joe continues, teasing. “I want you to be mentally prepared, but your work is important too.”

“Joe, I don’t want to masturbate at work, please don’t.”

Joe laughs. “Think unsexy thoughts,” he says. 

“Then I need to get off the phone with you,” Rami says.

Joe blushes as Rami hangs up after a quick goodbye.

 

Friday finally comes around, and Joe teaches the class all about building on the basic knots; making columns. It’s all handcuffs this hour.

Joe asks Clementine if it would be alright if he could demonstrate a leash with her, as Rami doesn’t want anything around his neck. Clementine demonstrates beautifully, although Lucy keeps fiddling with her hands.

After class, Joe pulls Lucy aside. “You know I wouldn’t actually do anything,” he says. “Rami doesn’t like to be choked, I just didn’t want to push him.”

Lucy nods, bites her lip. “Sorry, I just,” she blasts out a sigh, rolling her eyes. “I’m nervous. We’re trying our first bondage scene this weekend. Nothing advanced!” she blurts out, eyes wide. “I’m just, I don’t want to hurt her, and she’s so ready,” Lucy trails off. “I don’t know.”

Joe places a gentling hand on her shoulder. “Talk to her,” Joe says. “Let her know where your at.”

Lucy nods, shutting her eyes. “You just make it look so easy with Rami,” she says.

“Yeah,” Joe says, scratching his neck. “It is absolutely not as easy as I’m somehow tricking you into thinking it is.”

Lucy smirks. “Maybe Clem and I can roleplay the teacher and the student, eh?” she asks, making Joe blush furiously. Lucy laughs. 

“Are you two tops done gossiping?” Clementine asks, teasing. “Lucy needs to take me home and wrap me up, so to speak.”

Joe smiles, taking a step back. 

Lucy smiles and she and Clem grab their stuff and walk out. 

“How’re your wrists?” Joe asks Rami.

“They’re fine. I’m fine,” he replies. 

“Need me to come over tonight?” he asks, entwining their fingers. 

Rami shakes his head. “I’m okay. We didn’t do anything, really. And I feel safe with you.”

Joe beams. “Good,” he says. He leans forward to kiss Rami, and has to stop himself. Rami doesn’t need that. Doesn’t need Joe’s affection like that. 

Rami licks his lips and looks at Joe. “You said you’d show me what you got me?”

Joe takes in a steadying breath, and pulls out his phone, trying to get the idea of kissing Rami out of his mind.

He pulls up pics he took of the various packages he got throughout the week. 

“A robe too?” Rami asks, looking at it. 

“It’s a kimono,” Joe says. “You’ll look amazing in it.” He pockets his phone.

Rami laughs, ducking his head. 

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow night,” Joe says. “And you can call me at any time.”

Rami nods, shrugging on his jacket. 

“Oh and Rami, one more thing,” Joe says as Rami reaches the doorway. 

Rami turns and looks at him, raising an eyebrow, lips lifting at the corners.

“You can’t orgasm until I tell you tomorrow,” Joe says, testing.

Rami’s eyes widened and his hand grips the door handle.

“Okay?” Joe asks softly.

Rami blushes, but nods slowly. “Okay.”


	5. Chapter 5

Joe sends texts to Rami periodically over the next day to check on him.

Rami assures him everything is fine, but Joe wants to know everything. 

Joe finally gets off his Saturday night shift and sends Rami his address. Joe needs to get there and set up before Rami gets there, but at the same time, Joe can’t wait anymore.

The entire shift he was thinking about Rami not touching himself, or even better, touching himself but pulling back at the last minute to not come. 

Joe mentally wills the trains to run faster, and it somehow works.

He dashes into his apartment and grabs the purple, lacy panties, and the white kimono with teal trim and lays them out on his bed. He lays out the nipple clamps and the remote control anal plug too, they are part of the evening, but Joe wants to help Rami with those.

He’s debating lighting candles, because he doesn’t want to be painfully obvious that he wants Rami romantically, to woo him, and decides against it because he’s one step away from rose petals on the bed right now, and he needs to play it cool. 

When Rami knocks on the door, Joe has worked himself into a lather of flustered energy. “Hey,” he says, opening the door and shutting it behind Rami. “Come on in. I mean, you’re in already, make yourself at home. It’s not like, super nice, but it’s clean, mostly.”

Rami turns and smiles at him. “It’s great.” He shrugs off a backpack, letting it down on the floor. “I brought pajamas so I could spend the night,” he explains.

“That’s the plan,” Joe confirms. “I can take this and your jacket to the bedroom.”

Rami nods and slips off his jacket too, hands it over. “I drank so much water today,” he says as Joe walks off.

“Good! You eat dinner too?”

“Yeah,” comes the reply, right behind Joe. 

Joe startles, not expecting for Rami to follow him into the bedroom. He turns, biting his lip. 

Rami is staring at the display of things on the bed, things for both his and Joe’s pleasure.

“You like it?” Joe asks, his voice soft, sounding unsure to his ears.

“I do,” Rami says, trailing fingers over the clothing, examining the nipple clamps and vibrator. He looks at Joe, his eyes dark and hooded. He looks at Joe, wanting, and Joe can’t help but feel the same. “When do we start?” Rami asks.

“We can start now, if you want?” 

Rami nods, and Joe takes a steadying breath. “Tell me your safeword,” Joe says. 

“Milk.” Rami smiles slowly. “I don’t think I’ll forget, Joe.”

“Regardless,” Joe replies, stepping forward. “Mine’s egret. We’ll still use the color system, okay?” Joe regrets not lighting those candles now. Fuck it, he’s a romantic guy. He wants to see Rami’s skin glow, to have those wide and soft eyes on him pupils wide because of the low light. 

Rami nods, and Joe straightens his shoulders back. 

“Strip,” he says, watching as Rami slowly divests himself of clothing, dropping them on floor until he’s bare in front of Joe. “Bend over, elbows on the bed, feet on the floor, legs spread.”

Rami obeys, and no matter how many times it’s already happened, Joe gets the high of watching someone as beautiful and sharp and kind as Rami doing what Joe tells him to do. Joe picks up Rami’s strewn clothing and quickly folds and places it on Rami’s backpack. 

Joe goes over to the dresser and pulls open the top drawer, getting out the lube and walking back over to Rami, who is following his movements. 

“Sir?” Rami asks, sounding unsure.

Joe knows the insecurity will stop once Joe takes him deep enough. It might take a while, tonight, with what Joe has planned. 

“Yes?” Joe asks, putting the lube next to Rami on the bed.

“Will you —” Rami cuts himself short, and looks behind his shoulder, the light from the living room catching on his face.

Joe pauses, waiting. Then, “I can’t give it to you if you don’t ask,” he says, grabbing Rami’s hip and squeezing gently.

“Will you take off your shirt?” Rami asks quietly. He turns his head to face the bed again, his neck becoming dark from a blush. “Please?”

Joe wants to say a myriad of things, all caustic and painful, but holds back. He’s not there to question Rami, and if this does it for him, then…

Joe pulls off his shirt, and purposefully throws it on the bed where Rami can see. 

Rami hums in response, and wiggles a little in place, trying to press his body to Joe’s.

Joe steps back, firmly gripping Rami’s cheek to keep him in place. He picks the lube back up and gets some on his fingers, trying to warm it up in his hands before pulling apart Rami’s cheeks and start to slowly open him. Joe takes his time, although he really shouldn’t, Rami has a long night ahead. 

Joe is soon dipping three fingers into Rami, plunging and twisting as Rami shakes under him, gripping the sheets. Joe takes the anal plug vibrator and watches as Rami’s body swallows it with fervor, groaning, his hole fluttering around the plug as his body adjusts. Joe tugs on it lightly, and Rami grunts in reply.

“Stand up,” Joe says, and Rami scoots back, legs shaking, fully erect. 

Joe smiles, and helps Rami into his panties, sliding them up firm legs, and perfunctorily snapping the band on his dick and Rami gasps, staring at Joe in shock.

Joe almost laughs, but instead picks up the kimono and helps Rami into it.

“One last thing,” Joe says. 

Rami darts a look down to the bed, where the gold chained nipple clamps and lube are.

“Please lie down, on your back, on the bed.”

Rami is a vision, silky fabric gliding around his curves, his cock curving in what are becoming strained panties, the tip wetting the fabric already. He lays down, robe draped open to reveal his lightly furred chest. Which Joe is about to raze with his mouth.

Joe gets on the bed, and straddles Rami’s thighs before sitting, and dragging his fingers lightly over Rami’s chest. Joe draws patterns, scratching lightly and rubbing in turns, over and around Rami’s nipples. 

Rami’s nipples seem to tighten almost immediately in anticipation, but Joe isn’t here for immediacy. There’s no urgency to his play, simply brushing his fingers across stiff buds, before lazily plucking at one nipple for a minute, like an afterthought.

Rami, meanwhile, looks like doesn’t know what to do with his hands. He’s gripping the sheets beside him, or twisting the pillow he’s lying on to moan into it, and Joe thinks if it wasn’t for his body weight pinning Rami down, Rami might have wriggled off the bed by now. 

Joe watches Rami’s face as he twists and pulls at the same time, and Rami’s eyes slam shut, hands once twisting in bed clothes suddenly gripping Joe’s thighs. 

Joe is helpless but to shift forward on all fours and dip down to place his mouth on Rami’s left nipple. Rami lets out a sigh, surging up to meet Joe’s lips, his hand coming up to cup Joe’s neck, shaking fingers running through Joe’s hair. 

Joe continues his ministrations to Rami’s keening whines, licking and sucking, whirling his tongue around the areola before pulling off to gently blow air over hard peaks. 

Rami’s legs writhe between Joe’s, trapped, he lets out frustrated gasps and moans, unable to fully grasp Joe, just hot hands running over Joe’s head and shoulders, not willing to guide. He’s helpless in the continuing waves of Joe’s passion, a shell in the surf washed on the shore only to be swallowed by the sea again and again.

Joe leans back and Rami is already flushed, hair an absolute mess, panting and hands aimlessly grasping for Joe. 

Joe grabs his hands and kisses the palms, small nibbles on the tips of his fingers, watching as Rami’s breath slows down, the spit on his chest dries off. 

Joe fumbles for the nipple clamps, slid into the space between Rami’s body and the bed, skin warm. He gently pinches each of Rami’s nipples and applies the clamps, getting a shuddering moan in return. The gold chains that connect the clamps together drape beautifully across Rami’s chest. Joe looks at Rami in the before gently tugging on the bottom loop, watching as Rami’s eyes flutter and close.

“Okay,” Joe says, getting off of Rami, off the bed. “Come here.”

Rami slowly gets up and scoots down the bed, kimono slipping off his shoulders. His eyes are drooping in pleasure, soft and dark. 

“Remember that rope I made for you?” Joe asks.

Rami nods, shutting his eyes. Joe takes the opportunity to look at the absolute art that is Rami, right now. His chest is decorated in gold, nipples in pinched pain and pleasure, his abs already sweating, and his cock trying to escape dainty, lacy panties. His thighs clench, toes are gripping the floor. 

“I’m going to tie your arms together, behind your back,” Joe explains, having to adjust his erection in his jeans, before going to the closet and getting the rope out. “I thought about making a rope dress for you, but that’s not what I want tonight. Stand up, turn around.”

Rami does, and Joe carefully ties his arms together, winding the colored rope around Rami’s upper and lower arms. When Joe’s finished with the ends of the rope, he pulls Rami back into him, whispering into the shell of his ear: “What did I ask you to do yesterday?”

“To not come,” Rami says softly, pressing his body against Joe’s.

“Were you a good boy?” Joe asks, letting Rami in close, his clothed dick brushing against Rami’s bound hands. Rami’s hands twitch, an aborted move to touch Joe, thinking better of it at the last second.

“Yes sir,” Rami says. 

“Very good,” Joe says, and gently bites the lobe of Rami’s ear.

Rami stumbles a bit, under wobbly legs, and Joe grabs him around the waist, laughing.

Rami laughs too, breathless. Joe helps guide him into the living room, onto the floor to kneel in front of the couch. 

Joe turns off the harsh overhead light and clicks on the lamps, one by the couch, the other near the tv. He heads back to the bedroom to get the remote to the plug in Rami, and a candle. He sets the candle and remote on the stand next to the couch, and lights the candle. Joe then grabs his latest book, _Dracula_ , and sits on the couch in front of Rami, legs spread. He looks over at Rami, who seems perfectly content to kneel on the carpet and wait for his next command.

And someday, Joe would like that, just play all day like this, with Rami patient and needy, Joe attending and responding to that neediness. Getting to love him.

“Come here,” Joe says, and Rami slowly shuffles on his knees to Joe, putting himself inbetween Joe’s open thighs before settling back down. “Do you need a pillow for your knees?” Joe asks.

Rami shakes his head.

“Let me know if you change your mind,” Joe says, setting _Dracula_ on the arm of the couch and pushes his hips up, unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans, giving himself some release, before kicking them off. He picks the book back up and starts to read by the lamplight, not really reading, per se, but keeping his eyes on the page, and not on Rami, even though it feels like a Herculean task. 

He lets one or two minutes go by before reaching over for the remote on the stand, switching it on to its lowest setting. 

Rami jerks up onto his knees, loses his balance immediately and face plants into Joe’s stomach. He moans, jerking, open mouth hot on Joe’s skin. Joe shifts under the attention, especially when it becomes obvious that Rami could find his way back to the starting position just fine on his own, but instead wants to stay where he is. 

Rami nuzzles Joe’s soft belly, humming, his throat and clavicle making a perfect dip where Joe’s cock painfully waits. Joe turns the vibration up sharply and Rami gasps, shaking and pressing sloppy kisses on Joe’s stomach. He starts wiggling back, slowly making his way to Joe’s center. 

Joe switches the plug’s vibration down to its lowest setting, but changes the mode from continual to a steady and slow stattaco. Joe gently pries Rami up before he can make much more progress and makes him sit back on his heels. Rami breathes heavily, arching his neck as Joe runs his free hand through wild and sweaty curls. 

Joe turns his attention back to his book, still with one hand in Rami’s hair to prevent him from diving forward again. Rami lets him, sighing in pleasure as he tries to follow Joe’s hand with his face. 

Joe stops playing with Rami’s hair to turn the page on his book, letting his hand fall back to the couch, where the remote is. He darts a glance over his book to watch Rami, whose eyes are locked on Joe’s hand with the remote. Joe smirks, teasingly running his finger over the buttons, but not pressing.

Rami frowns at this, a small dent forming between his brows. 

“Rami,” Joe says, and Rami’s eyes snap up to his. “Have you ever come without touching yourself?” he asks, attempting for casual, landing on desperately wanting.

Rami slowly shakes his head. His eyes are wide. 

Joe hums thoughtfully. “We’re going to try, tonight. I don’t expect you to, and if you don’t, I won’t be disappointed.”

Rami bites his lip, immediately licks the flesh.

Joe turns back to his book, and surreptitiously cranks up the vibration two notches. 

Rami lets out a ragged groan, and Joe can feel him shaking between his thighs, almost like he’s already falling apart. Joe watches as Rami throws his head back, gently rutting into the air, his panties dark with precum, stretched from trying to contain Rami’s proof of arousal.

“Sir?” Rami asks, seemingly settled, although his limbs still tremble in his bonds.

“Yes?”

“Can I suck you?”

Joe’s breath nearly leaves his body, he feels punched to the gut. He so wants to say yes so much, wants to grab Rami’s neck and guide him to Joe’s cock. 

Rami looks at him, wide eyes pleading. “Please, sir?”

Joe grunts. “It pains me to say this, but you have to wait.”

Rami whines, high pitched and wavering. 

“I can read to you,” Joe offers, picking _Dracula_ back up, raising an eyebrow.

Rami looks pained, torn between Joe’s obvious erection in his underwear and the book. “Please read to me,” he says, sounding petulant, glaring at Joe’s cock.

Joe laughs, and Rami startles, blushing. 

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I do want you to read to me, I just, Joe, I’m so sorry, please don’t stop.”

Joe puts the book down and looks at Rami, whose eyes are darting to land on anywhere but Joe. “Look at me,” he says sharply. 

Rami tilts his head down and looks up at him. 

“Chin up,” Joe says, a gentle reminder, and Rami slowly obeys. “You are an amazing person, and an amazing sub. I like it when you tell me what’s on your mind. You did nothing wrong.” 

“I’m not in trouble?” Rami asks.

“No, you’re not in trouble.”

“Okay,” Rami breathes after a moment. “Please read to me?”

Joe leans back and picks the book again. “ _I lay quiet, looking out from under my eyelashes in an agony of delightful anticipation,_ ” Joe reads. “ _The fair girl advanced and bent over me till I could feel the movement of her breath upon me. Sweet it was in one sense, honey-sweet, and sent the same tingling through the nerves as her voice, but with a bitter underlying the sweet, a bitter offensiveness, as one smells in blood_.” He darts a glance at Rami who is patiently sitting, his eyes closed, a gentle smile on his face.

Joe reaches for the remote and turns the mode to a quicker tattoo of buzzing, and Rami openly moans, head tilted back. 

Joe continues, “ _I was afraid to raise my eyelids, but looked out and saw perfectly under the lashes. The girl went on her knees, and bent over me, simply gloating._ ”

“Please?” Rami asks again, hips thrusting up, back arching. “Please sir?”

“ _There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal, till I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the scarlet lips and on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth. Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin and seemed to fasten on my throat._ ”

Joe ratchets the vibration up, and a scream is ripped from Rami’s throat, of frustration and need. He still hasn’t come, the tip making an appearance over the band of the panties, slick precome all over his stomach. 

Joe puts the book down and watches as Rami writhes in pleasure. He slowly turns the vibration back to a lower level, and Rami twists in place, trying to chase that feeling. 

“You can suck my cock, now,” Joe says, trying to sound as cool as possible, but he’s not entirely sure his voice didn’t break in the command.

Rami practically dives for the junction of Joe’s thighs, scraping his teeth to catch the band of Joe’s underwear and bites at it to pull it up and away.

Joe shifts up, sliding his underwear down to ease Rami’s way. Joe’s free hand not clutching the remote curls into Rami’s hair, guiding him to Joe’s cock, released and standing free. Joe releases a shaky groan as Rami presses hot, open mouthed kisses along his length, not in anyway finessed, but eager, and somehow that turns Joe on more. 

Rami seems determined, licking and sucking along the base before working his way up, curling his tongue around the head, dipping his tongue onto Joe’s slit. Rami gets on his knees and suck’s the head of Joe’s cock, taking him fully inside his mouth, and Joe is helpless but to watch as Rami starts to bob his head up and down. Rami is unable to go past halfway down, and chokes on the first couple attempts, pulling off and coughing. 

“Easy, sweetheart,” Joe says. 

Rami takes a couple of steadying breaths before going back, head bobbing up and down, saliva running down Joe’s cock to pool at the base. 

“Fuck,” Joe whispers, watching Rami intently, his lips stretched tight around Joe’s cock head, pale eyes tearing up, cheeks hollowed from sucking.

Joe’s hips thrust up a little, and Rami works with it, not complaining. Joe can feel the intensity of this pleasure building up in his balls, and he tugs at Rami’s hair gently to pull him up.

Rami whines, licking the head, kissing it while Joe holds him there. “Please,” Rami says, voice sounding wrecked. “Joe, sir, please I wanna.” Joe pulls him back more, Rami unable to reach Joe’s cock, only able to stare hungrily. 

“I know,” Joe says, still not allowing it, Rami so temptingly inches away from his length. 

Rami sobs, shakes, his hips giving minute thrusts into air. 

Joe switches the mode to its last, two short bursts to a building powerful vibration. 

Rami gasps, eyes wide and he slumps over as his eyes roll back, sliding off of Joe’s leg onto the floor, legs spreading wide on their own accord as he humps up into nothing, crying for release. Rami is making meaningless noises of need, derived from being lost in the fathoms of the sheer, sharp pleasure Joe is giving to him. 

Joe leans over and pets the chains rucked up on Rami’s sweaty chest, delicately picks one up and tugs, pulling at sore nipples.

Rami yelps, and his body slumps on the floor. 

“What color, Rami?” Joe asks, low.

“Green,” he slurs, head turning towards Joe’s direction, but not seeing. 

Joe takes the remote and sets it back to a low, steady buzzing, holding it there while Rami takes gasping breaths. He turns it off, to one of Rami’s whines.

He slips out of his underwear, now fully naked. 

Joe takes off the nipple clamps, and the rush of blood makes Rami curl up, his cock twitching in his panties. “Alright, sit up, back facing me,” Joe says, and Rami rolls over and up, as Joe slowly undoes the ropes, and checks for nerve damage. 

“Come on,” Joe says, picking up the rope and helping Rami off the floor, guiding him to the bedroom. He lays Rami on the bed on his back, making sure he’s comfortable before dropping the rope on the bed next to him. “Don’t touch yourself,” Joe says, although he’s not sure Rami has that much coordination at the moment. “I’m going to the living room, I’ll be right back.”

Joe goes back and snuffs out the candle before rushing back to the bedroom.

Rami watches him as Joe turns on the bedside lamp and then crawls on the bed, opening Rami’s legs. 

Joe slips a finger underneath the band of Rami’s panties behind his balls and taps his finger on the base of the plug still there. He gently pulls the anal plug out, and Rami grunts. Joe reaches over to grab the lube, not caring if it’s overkill, and readies his fingers before checking Rami’s hole. 

He easily slides a single digit in, so he adds another, slowly fucking what must be over sentisited nerves before adding a third. He pumps his fingers in and out, Rami still silent, worryingly still. Joe looks up, and Rami’s eyes are glazed over. 

“What color, Rami?” Joe asks, stopping. 

Rami wearily lifts his head to look at him. “Green,” he says, like his tongue is too thick. 

“You sure?” Joe asks.

“Yeah,” Rami says. “Sir, yes.” He hisses as Joe taps a finger on his prostate. 

Joe pulls his fingers out, and keeping the panties to the side, takes a hold of himself and slowly sinks into Rami. 

Joe has to take a few steadying breaths. Rami’s so hot, and a little loose, like Joe’s been fucking him all day, and the idea of that makes his hips jerk forward. 

“Shit,” Joe says, gripping onto Rami’s waist. “I should’ve let you finish me off, I’m not gonna last long,” he says, starting to slowly thrust into Rami, relishing the squelching of their sweat and bodies coming together. 

“Joe, please,” Rami says, already lost, his cock straining for release. 

“You wanna come?” Joe asks, his hips pumping in a steady motion. 

But Rami shakes his head, and Joe slows to a stop, stunned. “You don’t want to?” he asks. 

“Sir, please,” Rami says, reaching for him, grabbing Joe’s shoulders, urging him forward. Joe leans in, helpless to Rami’s begging. 

“What is it baby?” Joe asks, holding himself over Rami, sliding a hand up from Rami’s hip to steady himself. Rami sighs, shaking. Joe thinks that must be it, this is how Rami wants to come, Joe contorted over him. 

Rami grabs Joe’s hair, brings his head up. “Kiss me, please?” He asks, and Joe is stunned, beguiled by a beautiful man, and he presses his lips ever so lightly to Rami’s.

Rami hums, moving his lips over Joe’s in return. They kiss for minutes, for hours, maybe, caught in this moment together, Rami finding boldness in ravishing Joe’s mouth, biting his lips. He wraps his arms around Joe’s neck, opens his legs wider, and starts clumsily rocking his hips, fucking himself on Joe’s cock.

Joe moans, laying on top of Rami fully, fucking into him in answer to his hips’ call. Joe feels Rami’s cock between them, hot and hard and Joe is torn, because he doesn’t want to stop kissing Rami. He doesn’t want to leave welcoming lips and tongue, Rami’s hot breath breathing on his cheek as Joe kisses up his cutting jawline. He wants this to last, to be always accepted to Rami’s affections. 

Rami starts squirming, his hole clenching around Joe as he grinds his hips up into Joe’s stomach and then back on Joe’s cock, the movements jerky and contorted. 

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Joe says. “Oh you’re such a good boy for me, aren’t you?”

Rami gasps, gripping Joe closer, head thrown back. 

“Fuck,” Rami moans, long and low. “Please let me come Joe. Oh fuck please, sir. I need you, I need you.”

Joe makes his thrusts harder and tighter, tries to sit up for a better angle, but Rami won’t let him go, gone in his search for a climax. Joe instead fits a hand between them, sweat-slick stomachs and reaches for Rami’s cock, and pumps him once, twice, and then flicks his thumb over the sopping wet tip, and that’s when Rami comes.

His whole body clenches, legs snapping shut on Joe’s thighs, arms grasping at Joe’s shoulders, and he screams, a hoarse and wild shout.

Joe comes in the wake of Rami’s release, spilling into him, unable to move because of how tightly Rami is gripping him.

It takes Rami a few minutes to come down, limbs loosening, Joe soothing him with steady and soft passes of his hands.

Joe gets up and grabs his aftercare kit, wipes them both down with wet rags and lotions Rami’s arms. He pulls the covers over Rami, trying to push Rami out of the wet spot, but Rami doesn’t move. Instead, he bats a floppy arm at Joe.

Joe gets out water and chocolate and puts them on the nightstand before sliding under the covers to join Rami.

“You okay?” Joe asks. “Sore, tingling, anything like that?” he throws an arm over Rami’s body. “I have water and chocolate whenever you need them.”

Rami hums.

“Rami?” Joe asks. 

“I’m good,” he replies, voice torn. “Pass me the water?”

“Yeah, of course,” Joe says, and guides Rami up so he can drink. Rami then asks for the chocolate, and slowly nibbles at it, like last time. “You sure you’re okay?”

Rami turns his head to Joe and smiles. “I’m okay,” he says. “You wore me out, Joe, is that hard to believe?”

“No,” Joe says slowly. “I’m just glad you’re staying with me all day tomorrow, though.”

Rami grins, finishes off his chocolate and water and slides back under the covers. 

“I can go get your pajamas,” Joe offers. 

“Don’t need them,” Rami says, turning over to face Joe.

“Do you really just sleep naked all the time? Like an 80’s playboy?” Joe asks, shuffling under the covers to be face to face with Rami.

Rami laughs. “No, but I like being naked with you.”

“But wouldn’t you agree that pajamas are equally as awesome?”

Rami pretends to consider it, making Joe laugh. “No,” he says. “If I had to choose between pajamas and naked with you, I know what I’d choose every time.”

Joe wraps an arm around Rami and pulls him in. “I feel oddly touched,” Joe says. 

“Good,” Rami says, and leans forward to capture Joe’s lips. “Now, cuddle me, please.”

“Your wish is my command,” Joe says. He tucks Rami’s head under his chin.

“I know,” Rami says, sounding so pleased and so sure of it, and Joe’s never felt more proud of Rami, of himself.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Joe groans as the sun beams into the bedroom, too bright. He starts to roll over to the night stand, only to be stopped by a weight on his arm. Rami.

Rami’s back is still to him, in the silky kimono, his chest rising and falling to slow, shallow breaths. Joe rolls back over, knees tucked in behind Rami’s, and presses his forehead to the nape of Rami’s neck. 

He must have dozed off, the sun comes in at a different angle when he opens his eyes again. “Rami,” Joe says. “Dude wake up.”

Rami grumbles, but rolls away from Joe, taking the covers with him. 

The room is a little chilly, and Joe makes a rush for his dresser for a shirt and underwear. He steps out into the living room, rethinks in and goes back for a hoodie. 

Joe makes a breakfast of eggs and bacon, and brews coffee. He’s pushing the eggs in the pan around when he sees movement at his bedroom door. 

“Hey sleepy head,” Joe calls teasingly, Rami wrapped up in the comforter still, squinting at him. 

“You left,” he says in return, sounding adorably grumpy. 

“Yeah, you took all the covers,” Joe says, gesturing to Rami with the spatula. “Besides, it’s like ten thirty.”

“Come back to bed,” Rami says, shuffling closer. 

“Nope, I’m up now. Coffee?” Joe offers a mug to him.

Rami groans, slips a hand out from the comforter and takes it. He leans against the island and watches Joe cook, taking slow sips. 

They eat on the couch, Rami letting one bare arm out to navigate breakfast. Joe sticks his feet under his thigh and Rami slides a look of bemusement to him before finishing his eggs.

“Did you have plans today?” Rami asks.

“Not really. We can laze around. I have a Nintendo Switch, if you want to play.”

Rami shrugs. “Not much of a gamer,” he says, looking into his coffee. 

“We could...explore the neighborhood?” Joe says, wiggling his toes still under Rami. “There’s not much, but we’ve got a coffee and pastry shop with amazing cinnamon rolls, and a bookstore, and —”

“A bookstore?” Rami interrupts, eyes wide.

Joe laughs. “I guess we know what we’re doing, then.”

Joe cleans up while Rami showers and gets dressed, and then it’s his turn. He showers as quickly as possible, and skips shaving. 

Joe dresses, and Rami watches him with a hungry look, eyes dark as Joe covers himself. “What do you think?” he asks, holding up a sweater and a jacket. 

“The sweater,” Rami says almost immediately. He clears his throat. “It’s a good day for it.”

Joe narrows his eyes. “You haven’t been out yet.”

“I checked the weather while you were in the shower,” he says, standing.

They make their way onto the street, Joe pointing out a few interesting things, or waving to neighbors and vendors. 

“Do you know everyone?” Rami asks.

“I...talk a lot?” Joe tries to explain. “I hear that I’m well tolerated within the community. There’s a post about me on Nextdoor, even.”

Rami rolls his eyes. “You’re a charming guy, Mazzello, I’m not surprised in the least.”

Joe ducks his head, and tries to think of excuses for why his cheeks would be red. “Really, it’s because I’m chatty,” he says, shrugging it off.

Rami stops, and Joe goes forward one step before he’s realized. 

“What?” Joe asks, turning. “Did you see a cool pidgeon?”

Rami purses his lips into a smile. “You need to take a compliment,” he says after a moment.

Joe’s brain is stuck at the station, desperate to switch gears. “I’m sorry?” he says. “I, you’re right, I’m not good at it.”

Rami steps forward into his space. He smiles softly. “Can we try again?”

Joe has to stamp down the urge to run a finger on the cusp of Rami’s outer ear, pink from the cold. Push down the monkey brain telling him to hold Rami’s hand. “Sure,” he says instead.

Rami looks Joe right in the eye and says, “You are charming.” He says it with conviction, chin up, almost defiant. 

“Thank you,” Joe says slowly. 

Rami smiles, and starts walking again. 

The walk to the bookstore is quiet the rest of the way, with a few interjections about the shops they pass by. 

Joe holds open the door and gets to watch Rami’s face light up as he goes in. 

“I love the smell of books,” Rami says quietly. He starts walking down the aisles, slowly inspecting each section. 

Joe follows him, occasionally picking up a book only to put it back. They drift apart for a while, Rami ducking into a different section. 

He’s four pages deep into Stephen King’s latest, when Rami comes back. 

Rami looks at the book Joe’s holding, and then looks down at his own selection, licking his lips.

“Find something?”

“Yeah,” Rami says, voice low. He darts glances at Joe’s book and his arms, where the sleeves are pushed up. Rami’s face is a little red, _probably from the heat_ , Joe thinks. “You like Stephen King?”

“Yeah, it’s not fine literature like _Dracula_ ,” Joe says as Rami turns a brighter red, “but it’s a fun read. Kinda nostalgic, too.”

Rami blinks, seems to come back to himself. “Nostalgic?”

“I uh,” Joe scratches the back of his neck. He sighs. “As a kid, my dad would read these,” he says. “And because I was eight, I wasn’t allowed to read them. So I would wait til my parents fell asleep, and sneak into the living room to read.”

Rami smiles. “You scamp,” he teases.

“I was told I wasn’t allowed to! Of course I read it.”

Rami laughs in delight, and pulls them both towards the checkout, his hand on Joe’s bare arm.

They walk out onto the street after purchasing their books, and as they near the coffee shop, Joe nudges Rami to go in. 

“I could use a cup of Joe,” he says. “Couldn’t everyone?” Rami glares at him. “Please?” he asks. 

Rami pushes him lightly, but holds the door for them as they enter. 

As they stand in line, Joe glances over the tables. “I can get our drinks, if you want to find a place —” Joe’s breath is caught in his throat, words dried up like ashes on his tongue. 

_Riley._

“Joe?” Rami asks. “You okay?”

“God, yes, sorry, I —” he ducks his head. “My ex is here.”

“Do we need to leave?” Rami asks quietly, concerned, and Joe wants to kiss him for that.

“No, it’s fine, we’ll just get our coffee and go,” Joe says, determined, and Rami nods, but reaches over to tangle his fingers with Joe’s, holding his hand in solidarity.

They order, and slide over to the pickup area. Joe’s heart is pounding and Joe is silently begging for the baristas to move quicker, but there’s still a wait. He’s sure his palms are sweaty, but Rami holds on regardless as Joe stares straight ahead at the espresso machine. Then there’s a tight squeeze. 

“Joe,” Rami hisses, and Joe glances up, and yes, it’s Riley Williams, who told Joe that he wasn’t enough, that he’d never be enough.

“Hi Joe,” Riley says, glancing at Rami. 

Joe wants to push Rami behind him so he doesn’t have to deal with this. “Riley, hello,” Joe says.

“Who’s your friend?” Riley asks, crossing his arms. Joe used to love those arms. Used to tie them together. 

“Rami Malek, this is an old friend of mine, Riley Williams. Riley; Rami,” he answers. There. He’s being polite, he can do this. 

Rami reaches out his hand to shake, but still holds onto Joe’s with his left. 

“Nice to meet you,” Rami says, sounding very unsure about that.

Riley accepts the handshake and laughs. “Joe’s being coy, we were lovers. How did you two meet?”

Joe wants to gag. Or run. But the coffee’s not done yet and Rami is gripping his hand tightly and clenching his jaw.

“A mutual friend, Gwil,” Rami offers, and Riley’s eyes light up in sadistic pleasure. Joe knows this look. 

“We gotta go,” Joe blurts out, trying to gently guide Rami out the door, but Rami, while tiny, somehow has learned to be unmovable.

“Oh!” Riley gasps, “Then you have to come to my favorite club, Gould’s, they have stuff you’d be interested in.”

“Interested?” Rami asks. 

“You know, when you…” Riley slides a cutting look over to Joe, “graduate from bottle feeding.” He flaps his hands. “Develop a taste for something beyond vanilla.”

Joe swallows, stung, struck by words. He’d rather be punched in the face. It’s less the fact that Riley has left, considers Joe a stepping stone, but more the fact that he’s right. One day Rami will leave. 

Joe loosens his hand from Rami’s, but Rami holds tightly, refusing to let go. Joe looks at Riley, smug in his victory, his pretty face twisted. He then looks over to Rami, who is flat out glaring at Riley. 

“I don’t think I’ll be interested,” Rami says, slowly but distinctly. He raises his chin. “I have a refined palate, I don’t like to like to mess it up with _trash_ ,” Rami bites out, his meaning clear.

Riley’s eyes go wide, his jaw drops, and for a moment Joe wants to laugh. 

“Soy latte for Joe, tea for Rami?” the barista calls out and Joe yanks at Rami’s hand, and they grab their drinks and walk out, Riley glaring at them.

“Bye Riley,” Rami says, a sharp smile on his mouth. “Nice to meet you.”

“God, don’t antagonize him,” Joe says, laughing in nervousness, opening the door and tugging him out the door. 

They go two blocks down, and Rami’s still holding his hand, and gently pulls him towards the small park they passed earlier. Finding a clean park bench they sit down. 

Rami gently sets their books down on the side and faces Joe, pressing his knee to Joe’s thigh. 

“Sorry,” Joe says, not knowing what else to say.

Rami shakes his head, frowning, as Joe continues, “He was an asshole, and I should have said something, but I couldn’t, I —” Joe sighs. 

“Don’t ever apologize for anything that man said. He’s not you.”

Joe glances at Rami, his eyes pleading with Joe.

“Well, I am sorry we ran into him, it’s supposed to be your recovery day.”

“I’m okay, just, mad.”

“Right,” Joe says, staring at his coffee.

“At him. I’m mad at him.” Rami scoots closer. “Can you tell me about it? It’s okay if you can’t.”

“He was my last sub. I thought, this is it, you know?” Joe looks at Rami, who nods. Right, Ellia. “I was so caught up in this world of Riley, of taking care of him, and then he wanted to break it off. He didn’t think I was a good dom. He said I wasn’t controlling enough, and that’s not who I am.” Joe takes a drink of his coffee, tugs his hand away from Rami’s to lace their fingers together again. “He wanted me to be something I’m not, and when I refused to change for him, he turned, well, he showed me what he was really like.” Joe looks up. “I had built up this fantasy of us. I was so eager and happy to make it work I overlooked his personality. So,” he takes another drink, “we broke up, and I haven’t been with anyone in eight months.”

“Did Riley…” Rami trails off, biting his lip. 

“Go ahead.”

“Did Riley talk to you like that before?”

“Near the end, yes.”

Rami frowns, humming. “So is that why you have low self esteem?”

Joe frowns. “What are you talking about, I like me.”

Rami cuts him an unimpressed look. “You don’t believe me when I tell you you’re charming. Or when I want you, sexually, you’re always surprised, or befuddled.”

“Because it _is_ befuddling,” Joe insists. _Why are you with me?_ Joe wants to ask.

“Joe,” Rami bites his lip and sighs. “If this,” he waves a hand between them, “was just about the class, I wouldn’t be doing scenes with you. You get that, right?”

“Yeah,” Joe draws out, feeling like a prime idiot, and Rami rolls his eyes, and laughs.

Rami sets his tea on the bench behind him and takes Joe’s face in his hand, cupping his cheek. 

Joe closes his eyes, swallows the sigh that rises from him.

“Look at me,” Rami says. 

Joe raises his eyes to meet Rami’s. 

“You are not a training wheel, okay? You are not something that people need to be weaned from.”

Joe nods, his throat feeling tight. “Okay,” he says.

“And Riley’s a dickweed,” Rami continues, vehemently.

Joe laughs. “I don’t like him anymore, it’s okay.” He presses Rami’s hand on his cheek to his shoulder. “I can agree he’s a dickweed.”

“Good,” Rami says, smiling. He runs his thumb over Joe’s cheek, brushing the corner of Joe’s mouth, then let go.

“That was a sick burn, by the way,” Joe says, as Rami turns to pick up his tea. “Had no idea you had it in you.”

Rami huffs a laugh. “I was constantly starting fights in school, believe it or not,” he says. “Well, you know, someone would say something about Sami or me, and I would start sniping at them, and if someone threw a punch, Sami would jump in.”

“I was the weird kid in the sandbox,” Joe says.

Rami laughs, the corner of his eyes crinkle. “I envied the sandbox kid. I was constantly trying to get on the swings.”

“Fair enough, the swings are really cool.”

Rami looks at him quietly for a minute, a small smile playing at his lips. 

“Tell me more about Sami,” Joe urges, and Rami lights up and starts talking a mile a minute about his _totally cool - he’s a teacher, isn’t that amazing_ \- brother. 

“We had a secret language for a while, but I forgot most of it. We were like seven, I think. But the English and Arabic kinda did away with it.”

“Man, you could have been trilingual,” Joe teases. 

Rami rolls his eyes. “Bilingual is enough, thank you.” 

Joe looks at his watch. “Hey, we should grab lunch,” he says. 

Rami nods, and they get up, grab their books and walk back to the apartment. 

Joe makes them sandwiches, and Rami scarfs it down before getting his book out and starting it. He sits on the couch, curled up at one end.

Joe follows suit, sticking his legs out, drifting off at one point, waking up under a blanket. “Hey,” Joe croaks, looking for Rami, who has changed into his pajamas: ragged but soft sweat pants that cover his toes, and the kimono from the night before.

“Hi, I was making some tea, you want any?” Rami chirps.

“I didn’t know I had any tea,” Joe admits. 

“You had a few packets of Earl Grey in a drawer,” he says easily, and Joe likes this. Likes that Rami is comfortable enough to let his hair down, so to speak, to be free enough to sneak through Joe’s stuff, not worried about Joe’s reaction, because he trusts Joe.

Joe rolls off the couch to join Rami in the kitchen. “Here, let me help you,” Joe offers, finding his kettle and rinsing it out for Rami to use. 

“Not a tea drinker?” Rami asks. 

“My mom is, so I buy a box when she comes to visit.” 

“Where does she live?” 

“Upstate,” Joe answers. He fills the kettle up with water and sets it on the stove, turning on the eye. 

Rami hums, leaning against the counter. 

“You can sit down, I can make your tea,” Joe offers. 

Rami smiles. “Thank you,” he says easily, and brushes past Joe to sit on the couch. 

Joe waits for the whistle of the kettle, and pours hot water over the bag, making a mental note to go buy another box of Earl Grey for Rami.

He brings the cup over to Rami, setting it on the end table. “So I had an idea,” Joe says, and Rami raises an eyebrow.

“I’m listening,” he says. 

Joe sits on the couch next to Rami. “It’s about your checklist.”

Rami curls up next to Joe, putting his head on Joe’s chest. “Yes?”

“You said you’re not into asphyxiation, but left a collar as a soft yes?” 

Rami stiffens. 

Joe puts his arm around him, rubbing his side, rucking up the kimono. “This why we’re talking about it now, and I’m not springing it on you for a scene.”

Rami takes in a shaky breath. “I don’t like being choked,” Rami says, firm. “But I think a collar would be okay, if it was loose enough.”

“And a leash?” Joe continues.

“Just, no hard tugging, or anything like that.”

Joe runs his hand through Rami’s curls. “Okay. I’ll make some arrangements for our next scene then.”

Rami nods. 

“Hey,” Joe says, nudging him. “I never said thank you.”

Rami pulls back to frown at him questioningly. “For what?”

“Well, for one, last night,” Joe says. He looks Rami in the eye. “Thank you for last night, it was amazing. You were amazing.”

Rami smiles. “You were amazing, too.”

“And thank you for standing up for me to Riley when I couldn’t,” Joe says. “It means a lot.”

“You’re welcome,” Rami replies. He tilts his head. “It didn’t belittle you?”

“What? No, why?”

Rami shrugs in that certain way that Joe can only guess it has to do with Ellia. “Like I said before,” Rami looks down at his hands, fiddles with his nails, “I usually got in trouble for speaking my mind.”

“I want you to,” Joe says, grabbing Rami’s fidgeting hand. “You’re always welcome to speak your mind with me.”

Rami smiles softly. 

The rest of the evening they spend reading and eating, and when Rami’s twelve hours are up, and he changes back into casual wear, Joe feels a sense of loss. He wants Rami to stay with him, or vice versa. 

“Do you have to go?” Joe whines, and Rami laughs. They’re at the door, and Joe is blocking the way.

“I have work tomorrow, and so do you,” he reminds Joe, very rationally and calmly. 

“Fine,” Joe sighs, rolling his eyes. “I’ll just constantly be texting you until Friday night.”

“FaceTime also exists,” Rami says. His eyes go soft. “I had a great time with you, this weekend.”

Joe smiles slowly. “And I can’t wait til next Saturday,” he says. He steps out from in front of the door, undoes the locks and opens it. 

Rami brushes past him, and their eyes meet, Rami’s eyes darting to Joe’s lips before licking his own. “Bye Joey,” he says softly, walking out the door. 

Joe doesn’t swoon, but it’s close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a little smaller, but I hope you enjoy. Hopefully I can get the chapters up on a weekly basis now, I think I got a little excited when I started this, lol. My favorite bits:
> 
> Rami's coming out of his shell! AND THE MORTAL KOMBAT WORD FIGHT
> 
> Joe is just now realizing Rami thinks he's hot. Get with the times, dude.
> 
> DOMESTIC SOFT BOYS


	7. Chapter 7

Ben and Gwil finally get back from Cancun the next day, and Joe checks in on them Thursday.

After long hugs from both of them, looking oddly tanned, they share a glance and grin. 

“So?” Ben asks, raising an eyebrow.

“So…” Joe drags the vowel out. “What?”

Ben blows out a frankly exaggerated sigh. “Rami,” he says, putting his hands on his hips. “How is it going with Rami?”

“The class is great,” Joe replies, purposefully obtuse this time, and Ben slaps his arm and hisses.

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it!”

Joe laughs. “We’re good, thank you.”

“And?” Ben asks, grabbing his hand and guiding him into the living room. 

Gwil squeezes Joe’s shoulder and goes to the kitchen. 

“And we’re doing some scenes outside of class,” Joe says, and Ben is practically vibrating from happiness.

“I knew you two would get along well,” he says, bragging.

Gwil walks in holding drinks. He passes them out, and sits next to Ben. “He did, he often would contemplate it.”

“Look, I’m sure you guys have it all figured out, like we’re two children of the 1800’s,” he says, “but it’s not that simple.”

“What’s holding you back?” Gwil asks. 

Joe takes a drink of his water, clears his throat. “Other than being two adults with personal baggage?” he drawls. 

“You’re not going to get a perfect person with no problems, sorry mate,” Gwilym says, raising a glass.

“Hey,” Ben says, laughing, not truly taking offence. “I’m practically perfect in every way,” he says, prim.

“Yes, thank you, Mary Poppins,” Joe rolls his eyes. “I know Rami’s not perfect, and I know I’m not either. I just,” he shrugs, “We’re still getting used to each other. He’s just learning he can be himself around me. I don’t want to break or push that trust by diving head first into a romantic relationship that he’s not ready for.”

Ben and Gwil are quiet at this, and Gwil nods. “Understandable,” Gwil says.

“But not romantic,” Ben tacks on. 

“Look, I’m already lighting candles, and thinking about lo-fi beat spotify mixes, and refraining from buying roses. I’m there,” he says, admitting it to them. To himself. “I really like him.”

Ben smiles. “He’ll get there,” he says. 

Joe puts his drink down and lays on Ben’s lap. “Don’t make any promises you can’t keep,” he says. “Now, play with my hair while we watch the rest of the baseball match.”

Ben cackles in delight, playfully trying to push Joe off. “Such a demanding dom, how do I even put up with you?”

Joe smiles, thinking of Sunday, with Rami. “I’m charming,” he says. 

 

Friday night comes around, the third to last class, and it dawns on Joe: Rami could say goodbye, after all this. He’s not entirely sure Rami would do that, after all, they’re both having fun, and Rami is finally trusting in a dom again. 

Joe’s gonna have to put on his big boy pants and talk about the contract soon. 

The class goes fairly smoothly, just some rehashing the old knots, watching everyone try them on their subs. A sort of hands on midterm, really. He uses Rami as a step by step example for some of the doms, never really tying him up (a shame) but the rope still slides across his skin. 

After class is done, and all the students are gone, Rami turns to him. 

“Do I really have to wait til tomorrow?” he asks. 

Joe thinks about it. “No, you can touch yourself til then.”

Rami closes his eyes slowly, rolling them back and his hand grips Joe’s shirt. Joe’s never seen someone annoyed but turned on. It’s…refreshing, actually. Kind of cute? _Jesus, he has it bad._

“Not what I meant,” Rami carefully enunciates. “I meant,” and he lets loose Joe’s shirt, smooths it down flat with the palm of his hand on Joe’s belly, “can we do the scene tonight?” Rami looks at him, those sea glass eyes pleading with him. 

Joe’s tempted. So, very tempted. “No,” he says.

Rami slumps, lets out a blustery sigh. “Why?” he whines. “I’m ready.”

Joe laughs, grabs Rami’s hand still on his stomach. “Because I still want twelve hours after with you. And I won’t have that tomorrow.”

Rami frowns, looking like he’s trying not to be petulant. 

“You can come hang at mine, or vice versa,” Joe offers. “But no scenes.”

Rami glares at him. “You know that won’t work,” he says, almost affronted, and Joe laughs again. 

“Okay, then let’s think of a good compromise,” Joe says.

“I want the scene tonight,” Rami says, not an ultimatum, but stating his side of the case. 

“And I say we’re not doing it until tomorrow.”

Rami bites his lip, and then his eyes widen, he bites his lips. “I have an idea,” he says. “You can say no.”

“I’m listening.”

“The club, downstairs,” Rami says. “Does it. What,” his eyes dart around, looking for the words he’s trying to say. “What are the rules?” he asks.

Joe smirks, shakes his head. “That would be a scene, Rami, it would just be downstairs and in front of strangers, which is on your hard no list.”

“I give up,” Rami says, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

“I might have an idea,” Joe says. “But it’s not a scene.”

Rami looks at him, purses his lips. “Okay?”

“The restrooms down the hall are fairly quiet at this hour. I can jerk you off.”

Rami’s nostrils flare. He swallows. “Okay,” he says, voice suddenly small.

“You can say no,” Joe offers. 

“No, I want to.”

Joe grabs his stuff and crams it in his bag, thanking his past self for wrapping the rope up already. He holds his hand out for Rami, and Rami holds it without question. 

They practically run to the bathroom, hand in hand, and Joe goes to the last stall of the empty restroom. 

Once the door is locked behind them, though, they both look at each other, wanting but unsure. 

Joe nods, taking control, and presses Rami against the wall. 

Rami’s hands fly to Joe’s waist, gripping bruises for tomorrow into his flesh. He’s already breathing hard, and Joe’s so sure this isn’t going to last long. 

He’s got Rami’s fly open in no time, and spits into his hand before sliding it into Rami’s underwear, finally gripping his hot cock.

Rami makes a noise like he was punched, and Joe smiles against Rami’s neck, stroking him and so afraid. 

Afraid that if he pulls his head up, he’ll start kissing Rami, that upper lip must be Cupid’s bow itself with the way it’s aimed for Joe’s thoughts, his heart. And if he starts kissing Rami, then he won’t be able to stop, he’ll just want to make out like teenagers in a bathroom on the top floor of a bdsm club. 

So instead, he keeps his face at the junction of Rami’s neck, working his way to the collar bone, sucking a mark onto him. 

Rami is gasping, his hips thrusting into Joe’s hand as Joe works him, the heat overwhelming. He stops, Rami’s hands scramble at Joe’s fly suddenly.

Joe looks up from Rami’s neck, the collar bone looking pinkish red already. He wants to ask exactly what Rami is doing, why is he doing that, but then Rami’s eyes lock with Joe’s as he spits into his hand and rubs the the heel of his hand down Joe’s cock, and wrapping his fingers around the base. 

Joe grunts, unable to say anything witty about the situation for once and when Rami starts pumping his hand up and down Joe’s shaft, Joe’s mind is gone. 

Joe’s arm is propping him up so as to not squish Rami, but once Rami starts really working him, his arm goes weak and he’s using his elbow now, his face so close to Rami’s. 

Rami’s eyes are locked onto Joe’s face, his mouth open and gasping, and Joe licks his lips in want. 

Joe is speeding up his hand, desperate to get Rami to come, to have that piercing gaze off him, but then Rami speeds up too, and Joe moans, shaking. 

It’s different than last weekend, somehow, Rami’s hitching breaths on Joe’s cheek, they both have the power to do whatever they want. 

And that’s when Rami turns his head ever so slightly, and their open, panting mouths meet. 

Joe groans, wanting to shift closer, but then their hands can’t move, so in retaliation, Joe bites Rami’s upper lip.

Rami lets out a choked off moan, gasps into Joe’s mouth, his tongue chasing the phantom of Joe’s teeth. “Come here,” he says, and Joe is helpless but to obey.

It’s a little clumsy, what with the space between them being filled with fists and cocks, and there being no leverage, but Joe kisses Rami like he’s always wanted to. Fast and hard, slow and soft, all the nips and licks between. 

His mouth is buzzing, a furious acknowledgement of how long it’s been since his lips have been on Rami. _Why did I wait so long_ , he thinks, when Joe feels the build up of pleasure inbetween his legs. 

“Sweetheart, you gotta come,” Joe whispers, his own voice rough and deep from disuse. He’s not sure how long it’s been since they’ve been in the bathroom, but he’s so thankful that no one’s walked in. 

“Joe,” Rami replies, ragged breaths on Joe’s cheek. Rami chases his mouth again, brings up his other hand from Joe’s hip to grab Joe’s neck. Rami slips his tongue into Joe’s mouth, explores there and slides along Joe’s tongue in a frisson of wet. Rami speeds his hand up, twisting his wrist just so at the head, and Joe’s hips buck at the attention. 

“Rami,” Joe pleads, and Rami hums, pleased. Like he’s going to make Joe come first. 

Fuck. 

“Rami, please,” Joe tries again, scraping his teeth along his sharp jawline, sucking on the lobe of his ear. “Rami, please come for me.”

Rami only speeds up, keening in concentration. “Joe,” he says, quietly, “Joe, I wanna taste you,” and Rami may say something else, but for the moment Joe is coming, grunts and sighs, shaking like a leaf from Rami’s affections. 

Joe slides to his knees, more out of a sense that his legs don’t work anymore, but hey, there’s a cock just lovely and waiting for him, and he pulls Rami’s pants and underwear down to get at it. 

He slowly goes down, bobbing up and down a few times, before pulling off to look up at Rami. Rami, who is threading his clean hand in Joe’s hair, looking at him like a god is kneeling at his feet. Joe licks the head of Rami’s cock, suckles at it, and smiles. 

“I get to taste you this time,” he says, smug, and Rami laughs, the sound bright and too loud in the bathroom. 

Joe opens his mouth to let Rami in again, far enough where the back of his throat flutters before he has to pull away again. He works Rami with his mouth, and finally, Rami’s hips start to thrust and jerk, so Joe holds them down as Rami spills down Joe’s throat. 

Joe gets up, coughing, just as Rami seems to be sliding down the wall. Joe presses his body weight against him so they can stay steady. 

“Okay?” Rami asks, wiping a thumb at the corner of Joe’s mouth. 

“I’m okay,” Joe says. Once they finally have their breath under control Joe steps back, and smiles at Rami. “Yeah, you definitely don’t look like you had sex in a bathroom stall,” he teases; proud.

Rami laughs, looking a little dopey. “And you really don’t look like you just sucked my cock.”

“That’s the secret,” Joe says, zipping up, waiting for Rami to pull his clothes back on, “I always look like I sucked your cock.”

Rami groans, almost putting his hand to his face, then remembering the cum there. “If that was true, I’d never let you leave,” he says, then blinks, blushes as he starts washing his hands.

Joe is no longer sure this is about teasing. “You just want me for my vacuum-like prowess,” he says, playing it safe. Regretting it. 

Rami guffaws, and turns to flick water at him. “Yes, you’ve truly mastered the art at sucking,” he says, all smiles.

Joe, mocks offense, and gasps, making Rami laugh more. “I’ll take my Dyson level mouth elsewhere,” he says, washing his hands, making sure there’s no cum in his hair, on his face.

“Hey,” Rami says, touching his arm gently, too soft for their teasing. “You know I —” he bites his lip. Then, “I like your mouth. Don’t take it anywhere,” he says after a moment. He looks confused by his own statement, but Joe’s heart is warmed by the sentiment anyway.

“I won’t,” Joe says. “Besides,” he says, turning back to the stall to grab his bag, “I’ll need it for tomorrow.”

Rami gives him a small smile. 

“You okay for tonight?” Joe checks. “Do you need me to come home with you?”

Rami shakes his head. “I’m fine. Text you when I get there,” he says. “And you text me the minute your shift ends tomorrow.”

“Will do,” Joe says. 

They stand there, blinking for a moment, and then Rami jerks his head and he and Joe walk out together. 

 

Joe does what Rami asks, like a good dom, and texts him the minute his shift ends. He’s shrugging on a jacket and adjusting his scarf when he gets the responding text. 

_Any hints for tonight?_

Joe laughs. _We talked about it last weekend. No details, I don’t want to hear about some guy on the trains with a boner._

_It wouldn’t be the first time._

_???!_

_It wouldn’t be the first time someone ELSE had a boner on the train._

_Got me excited for a minute._ Joe laughs, the idea of Rami furiously texting his reply playing in his mind.

_Hopefully you’ll be excited soon enough._

_I’ve no doubt._ Joe sends a string of heart eye emojis, and steps on his train headed for home. 

When Joe gets to his apartment, Rami is already waiting at the door. 

“You’re here,” Joe says, like a dumbass.

Rami smiles. “I’m,” he shrugs, “excited.”

“Eager,” Joe says, purring over the word, and Rami blushes. 

Joe opens the door, and ushers Rami in, before closing and locking the door behind them. “Drink lots of water today?” he asks, taking off his backpack, jacket, and scarf. He hears the kitchen cabinet doors open and shut. 

“Yes, and I’m having another glass now,” Rami calls.

“Great. You ate dinner too?”

Rami hums a yes, taking a drink of water and watching Joe. 

“Set up for this will be pretty easy,” Joe admits. 

Rami finishes off the water and sets the glass in the sink. He walks calmly into the bedroom, at ease with what’s about to happen. It’s a far cry from the guy who startled at everything in the beginning. Rami’s confidence is inspiring, and makes heat rush to Joe’s face and pool at the vee of his thighs where his cock is already waiting for the evening’s escapades.

“Chill out,” Joe hisses at himself, and follows Rami into the bedroom.

“How do you want me?” Rami asks, and Joe’s mind goes fuzzy for a few moments, the possibilities and list endless of combinations of them together.

“Ready?” Joe asks. 

Rami nods, face lax in waiting. 

“Tell me the safewords,” Joe says. He knows Rami knows them, at this point. But it’s reminder that Rami can say it, and everything will come to a halt. 

“Milk,” Rami says, pointing at himself, “egret,” he points at Joe. 

“Good boy,” Joe says. “Get undressed, kneel on the floor when you’re done.”

Rami takes his clothes off quickly and calmly, and then haphazardly throw them into a corner. 

Joe wants to go over and fold the clothes, give Rami’s clothes the respect they deserve, but then Rami is kneeling in front of him, and his brain goes staticy again. It’s still hard to grapple with, that this being would kneel in front of him, trust him. It gives Joe a rush like nothing else.

Joe slowly strips down, first his shirt, and then, seeing the look on Rami’s face, toys with the button on his jeans, zips down before stopping.

Rami doesn’t say anything, but Joe can tell he’s miffed that Joe stopped. 

Joe huffs a laugh and peels off the tight jeans until he’s bare before Rami, cock rising to meet him. 

Rami sways forward before quickly correcting himself. 

“Looks like you need some guidance, sweetheart,” Joe says, and walks out of Rami’s sight to grab what came in the mail yesterday: a navy blue collar with a gold D ring and a leash to match. 

He shows Rami his toys and then gently puts the collar on, making sure he can easily stick two fingers underneath comfortably. He attaches the leash, and slowly stands back up. 

“Oh,” he says, “look at you.”

Rami stays still, but his cheeks flush, his eyes dart down.

“I know that you can’t see yourself, not the way I see you,” Joe continues, “not just your physical manifestation, but your inner worth.”

Rami tilts his chin up, biting his lip.

“I’m going to be your mirror for tonight,” Joe promises. “So pretty, that thing around your neck,” he says, giving it a tug. Rami shutters his eyes closed follows the motion. “Showing me you’re all mine, aren’t you?” Joe says, the possessive words slipping out, unbidden. 

Rami moans. 

“You like that?” Joe asks. The question is mostly rhetorical, but Rami nods anyway. “Like that there’s something that connects us, a solid object that shows you who’s in charge.”

Rami swallows, shifts his thighs open to give his growing dick some room. 

“You like that I could guide you anywhere,” Joe says. “You like that no matter how much you push away, I’m the one who’s going to bring you back.”

Joe tugs at the leash again, enough where Rami is slightly off balance, and has to go on all fours. He looks up at Joe. 

“Get on the bed,” Joe says, and Rami slowly stands up, and sits on the bed, eyeing the leash that connects himself and Joe. “On your hands and knees.”

Rami follows the instructions, and Joe grabs the lube from the bed stand and crawls onto the bed behind him, taking a moment to enjoy the view. 

Joe knows that the next step will be tricky, as he’ll have to use both hands. But he’s up for the challenge. He uncaps the lube, getting a good amount on his fingers. 

Rami tenses, raises his ass in the air, waiting. 

Joe reaches behind himself and inserts a finger, and leaning down, licking a stripe from Rami’s balls to the indents on his back. He has to have a hand on the bed, gripping the leash while he licks Rami open and fingers himself. 

The result is sloppier that usual, on both ends, but eventually Joe’s worked himself up to three fingers and has thoroughly tongue fucked Rami, his spit rolling onto Rami’s sack. 

Joe pulls his fingers out, and sits back for a second. Rami, who is delightfully wiggling his ass in front of Joe, loses control of his arms and fall on his face.

“Back up,” Joe says, pulling on the leash. 

Rami rises on his arms, trembling like a newborn foal.

“On your knees,” Joe says and Rami clumsily gets up. 

Joe crowds up behind him pressing his hard cock to Rami’s wet ass and lazily thrusts, sliding through the spit shined crack. 

Rami wiggles, scratches his thighs with his hands and tries to fuck back onto Joe’s cock.

“Such a good boy,” Joe croons, and Rami whines at that. “So ready for me to fuck you, aren’t you?”

Rami nods. “Please?” he asks, his first word in the scene. 

“Not yet,” Joe says, and Rami groans. “It’s like you don’t know me,” he teases, licking a stripe over Rami’s shoulder and biting there. “You think I’d just eat you out and fuck you?” He presses a kiss just over where the collar lays. 

“I…” Rami doesn’t know what to say.

“Well?” Joe asks. 

Rami pauses. “I hoped?” he ventures, and Joe laughs. 

“One day,” he says, taking the hand with the leash and teasing Rami’s nipples with the handle, going lower and lower. “One day I’d like you just eat you out and leave you waiting, maybe fuck you, tie you up so you have to stay with me, waiting until I come back and do it all over again.” He taps the leash ever so gently but quickly against Rami’s cock. 

Rami jumps as a result, almost falling forward, but Joe catches him with his arm, pulling Rami up against him. “But not tonight.”

Joe lays down on the bed, guides Rami to turn around, to stay up on his knees. “Fuck me,” Joe says.

Rami makes a gutteral noise, a sheer cry of want, and he falls between Joe’s spread thighs and kisses him.

Joe accepts, welcomes, but is surprised. He licks open Rami’s mouth, bites at his lips and hums. He pulls on the leash, and Rami peels off, wanting. “Fuck. Me,” Joe says, and Rami nods.

He fumbles for the lube, Joe letting the leash slack for a bit. When he finds it and gets some on his fingers, he slides one into Joe, looking surprised at the relative looseness. 

“I fingered myself open when I was eating you out,” Joe says, adjusting to having not his own fingers up his ass for once.

Rami nods, still going through with stretching him out, and Joe tugs the leash. “Rami,” he says, “was I unclear about the instructions?”

Rami shakes his head, clears his throat and his fingers leave Joe’s body. Joe sighs, and then the hot press of Rami’s cockhead is there. He closes his eyes, adjusting to the fullness inside him, Rami’s trembling warm body above his own.

“Go,” Joe says after a minute. 

Rami starts to move his hips, his cock sinking fully into Joe before slowly pulling out again. 

This is when Rami starts to talk.

“Fuck,” he whispers, words under his breath, hunched over Joe. “Oh God, fuck. Jesus, Joe you’re so tight,” he says.

Joe’s eyes open, finding Rami’s boring right into him. 

“So tight, so fucking beautiful. I wanna,” he gasps, as Joe flexes his ass, tightening the grip on Rami. “Wanna fuck you for hours, oh can I? Just want to show you how good I am, cause you’re so good to me.”

Joe wordlessly reaches up to pull Rami in for a kiss, simultaneously tugging both with leash and hand, and Rami collapses down and kisses him. 

Rami rocks into Joe like he fucking belongs there, and Joe is already winded by the pleasure. Fuck, maybe this was a bad idea.

Because as soon as they stop kissing, Rami picks up on his stream of consciousness again. 

“God you’re pretty,” Rami says, “those fucking arms, those eyes, I,” and he picks up the pace, fucking into Joe before Joe pulls back on the leash, stopping him. “Please, sir,” he says, “please I wanna fuck you.”

“I know,” Joe says, blushing, trying to get a grip back on the situation. It’s not uncomfortable, it feels so good, and the lines are becoming blurred. But he can pull on the leash and tell Rami to stop. “Go,” he says, the word warbling, and he’s embarrassed for all of the three seconds it takes for Rami to start back on the easy starting thrusts. “Fuck.”

“Thank you, sir,” Rami is saying, and Joe’s eyes open again as Rami grips his thighs. “I always wanted to fuck you, oh,” and he gasps, trembling in his effort to not speed up. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw you,” Rami says, squeezing his eyes shut.

Joe is helpless but to watch, enthralled in Rami’s words, in his body. 

“You’re so goddamn pretty,” he hisses, “and I wanted you when you had Ben,” Rami says, voice getting higher. “I wanted that to be me, I wanted you to fuck in front of them, Joe.”

Joe can’t hold back the moan that comes, like a wave from where he and Rami meet to his throat. “Fuck, Rami,” he hisses. Rami’s mouth and cock are relentless, giving no quarter to Joe’s fears. Rami instead places sweet words from a pleading mouth, all the while, collared for Joe. He’s not doing this for Ellia, but for Joe, and Joe growls at the thought of anyone else having Rami. As stupid and neanderthalian as it is, he wants Rami for his own.

“Sir,” Rami is shaking, his hips making jerky movements already. “Sir can I come? Can I come? Inside you? Please?” he asks, sobbing. 

“Yeah,” Joe says, his voice low, feeling heavy with power, with love. 

Rami screams into it, and while Joe knows Mrs.Everly next door is going to have words with him tomorrow, he can’t bring himself to care. 

Joe feels the hot pulse and twitch of Rami’s release inside him, and he relishes it. Rami pulls out, hissing.

Joe pulls on the leash, forcing Rami closer, wraps the length of leather around his fist and says, “Now suck me,” and Rami nods, easily accepting Joe into his mouth. 

Rami’s hands bracket Joe’s hips, gripping the sheets as he bobs up and down, saliva running out of his mouth.

“Use your hands,” Joe says, and Rami does, bringing one hand to grip the base of Joe’s cock and pumps him, meeting his mouth. 

Joe lets the feeling of base pleasure rise within him. He’s already so close from Rami fucking into him, from Rami talking to him. Joe slackens his grip on the leash and bring it up to Rami’s hair.

“Pretty boy, all for me,” Joe says, and Rami hums around his cock.

Joe comes down Rami’s throat, trying not to shift his hips and failing. Rami rolls with it, and after a moment, pulls off of Joe.

“Okay?” Joe asks.

“I’m good,” Rami says.

“Let’s take a bath,” Joe says, and he gets up, feeling his ass wet from Rami. “Fuck,” he says.

“You okay?” Rami asks. “You didn’t have a lot of prep.”

“I’m supposed to take care of you,” Joe says, and then, “I’m fine, thank you.” He unclips the leash from Rami’s collar and starts to unbuckle it.

“Wait,” Rami says, putting a soft hand to Joe’s. “Leave it? At least, for the aftercare?” he asks.

“Wanna see yourself?” Joe teases, and Rami flushes, but nods, pleased.

They head to the bathroom and Joe starts the water running, making sure it’s warm enough, and pours some salts in before turning around.

Rami is craning his neck, touching where the collar rests, a small smile at his lips.

“Not too bad?” Joe asks, coming up behind him. 

“I love it,” Rami says, looking at Joe through the mirror. 

“Me too,” Joe says, a whisper, and after a moment, moves to the tub, urging Rami in.

They both soak until Joe is satisfied, and when Rami drinks water and eats his chocolate, he tucks Rami in.

“I gotta take the collar off,” he says, brushing his fingers along the dark blue leather. It comes out in a whisper.

“Just til the morning?” Rami asks.

Joe bites his lip. “If you want,” he says, and Rami smiles.

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Joe and Rami spend a relatively peaceful Sunday in the park and on the couch. When Rami leaves, he smiles and pecks Joe’s cheek, and Joe can feel it tingling for the rest of the day. 

Joe starts cleaning up on Monday, finding tea packets carefully torn on the counter, and the kimono Rami has taken to wearing around the apartment draped over the couch. Joe is almost hesitant to clean up, because he likes these little reminders that Rami was here. 

Joe finds the leash on the bedroom floor, but for the life of him, cannot find the collar. He debates tearing up the apartment looking for it, because it has to be either in the bedroom or living room; that’s the only two places Rami’s really spent any time in. 

When he’s finished cleaning, and still hasn’t found the collar, he begins to despair. He liked that collar, all the more for the scene where Rami wore it. And when he refused to take it off until the last minute. Joe could have sworn that Rami handed it to him and he put it in his top dresser drawer. 

But to his chagrin, it’s not there. He gets on his phone, and pulls up the vendor that sold him the first one, wincing at what this will do to his budget, but it’s for Rami.

That’s when he gets a text from Rami.

The notification bar tells Joe it’s a picture captioned _thinking of you…_

Curious, Joe opens it and his brain short circuits. It’s a picture of Rami. Nothing scandalous, just him in front of the bathroom mirror, getting ready for work, it looks like. Undershirt on, oxford shirt unbuttoned, and tie hanging loosely around his neck. And the _pièce de résistance_? The collar. 

Rami stole it. 

It’s loose, the d ring dangling low enough to rest in the dip where Rami’s clavicles meet. 

“That little fucker,” Joe laughs, torn between utter want and frustration. _And you got onto me for texting you about rope dyeing at work_ , Joe texts. Then a series of hearts and exclamation marks.

_It’s different,_ Rami replies after a few minutes.

_Whatever, I’m now actively seeking revenge._ Joe cackles to himself. _May the odds be ever in your favor._

Joe waits until ten a.m. to start, sending a few screenshots of his shopping lists. Starting with lingerie. _Can’t decide between the black and the white. They both have good qualities_ , Joe sends, along with two pictures of lacy thongs. 

_I have regrets now_ , Rami sends back at lunch time. _The black_.

Rami then sends a picture of his shirt collar unbuttoned, the blue, leather collar underneath, and the slightest hint of the fading mark on his neck where Joe’s mouth had been. Joe’s seen it before. He made it Friday night, he brightened it with teeth and tongue on Saturday, and admired it Sunday. But seeing the mark in conjunction to the collar and Rami’s work shirt, it sends Joe into a frenzy. 

He will absolutely not jack off to this, he thinks. He’s going to save up the frustration for next Saturday, God help Rami. 

Okay, he’s going to think about it while touching himself starting tonight, but Rami doesn’t need to know that, and Joe’s vengeance will be no less sweet for it.

Eventually he goes to work, and a dom and sub pair come by to ask him to play with them. Again, he turns them down, but then has a terrible idea. “Can I take a picture while you’re here?” he asks, since the bar is dead, just the regulars around.

The sub nods, and the dom smiles, so Joe poses them just so and snaps a few pictures. “Thanks guys,” he says when he’s done. 

“Can I ask why?” the sub says, flipping through the pics on Joe’s phone.

“I’m teasing my sub,” Joe explains, getting the phone back. “I needed something that’s not an outright dick pic, you know?”

The pair laugh and nod, congratulating Joe on his new sub. 

Then it really hits him. His sub. Rami is his sub. Okay, it started as something temporary, but honestly, Joe’s ready to pick out paint samples for their picket fence. It scares him, how much he’s fallen for Rami in such a short time. 

It’s only been a month. But a month is enough to make a solid friendship, enough to know someone. Enough to know that Joe wants to know everything. 

He studies the picture as he walks back behind the bar: the sub is standing, bare chest towards the camera, neck arched back enough where you can’t see his face. The dom is behind him, hand splayed on his chest holding him against her. His nipple peeks out between her fingers. She’s masked, but it doesn’t matter, because her head is tucked into the curve of his neck, licking there. The picture only shows the top of her head, the bridge of her nose, and her pointed tongue.

Joe waits until Tuesday, eleven a.m. to send it.

He gets a response around two thirty in the afternoon. It’s an audio recording of Rami, sounding winded and frustrated. 

“Joe, that’s not fair. Okay, I’m not opening these until after work now, because I had to go splash my face with water, and my coworker asked if I was coming down with something, because, and I quote, ‘look more red than usual’ and I can’t tell her that it’s because my fucking dom keeps torturing me using media. Someone’s going to connect me checking the phone and these bathroom breaks, oh my God.”

Joe feels inordinately proud. 

He prepares for his next reply, maybe a picture of him holding the leash, half naked? He wracks his brain for another teasing, but not graphic response. He’s on his way to work when his phone buzzes. 

Excited, wary, Joe pulls his phone out, and it’s a picture from Rami.

Joe opens it, and stops walking, immediately getting bumped into, so he maneuvers to the side of the sidewalk. It’s Rami, the picture kind of sideways and blurry, but it’s definitely Rami, making the same arched neck pose as the sub in Joe’s picture. 

“Fuck,” Joe says, regretting that it’s Tuesday, and not Saturday night. 

Three dots pop up. _Wish you were here_ , Rami texts, and Joe curses again. 

The picture haunts him through his entire shift, and it’s not even that risque, hell, Rami is wearing a shirt. Joe plots his revenge while pouring shots. 

Wednesday rolls in, and Joe has the day off, thank fuck, and he wants to use his time wisely. Rami’s not ready for the barrage of toys and lingerie Joe has in mind for him. At least, not yet. 

But Joe needs to up the ante, so he googles some stuff and sets up. But part of that, is calling Ben.

“Not sure why I’m here,” Ben says. “You know your phone has a timer on it,” Ben holds Joe’s phone as Joe poses on the couch. “You could really take these yourself.”

“It’s art,” Joe insists. “Besides, I don’t have a tripod,” he continues, and Ben raises an eyebrow and smirks.

“You sure about that?” he asks.

“Okay, first of all, thank you, second, you know I meant a camera tripod. It’s not the photos but the subject matter,” Joe says, gesturing to himself. He’s wearing a sweater with the sleeves pushed up, holding his copy of Dracula.

“Bringing me back around to the fact that your phone camera has a timer.”

“Dude.”

Ben blows out a blustery sigh. “Alright, but I’m not an actual photographer.” He lifts up the phone, pointing it at Joe. He takes a few photos from the floor and Joe looks them over, satisfied.

“Costume change!” Joe calls, and Ben grumbles, but follows Joe to the bedroom, and then finally, the bathroom.

“Done?” Ben asks, as Joe swipes through them all. 

“Let me buy you dinner,” Joe offers, and Ben agrees.

Rami sends a text midway through the pasta carbonara. _Did I win?_

Joe selects the tamest photo of him on the couch, sleeves pushed up and reading, from the point of view of someone on the floor. 

He waits.

_Godfuckingdammit_ , Rami sends.

_There’s more where that came from_ , Joe texts back. 

Then Ben’s phone starts buzzing. Ben picks it up and smirks. He looks at Joe. 

“What?” Joe asks.

“Nothing,” Ben says, typing. He lets out a little laugh, and it sounds positively evil.

“Are you texting Rami?” 

Ben hums. “Who’s to say?” he replies, coy.

“You, you’re to say. You have the phone.”

“Well, I can’t say,” Ben tells him. He smiles. “How long are you two going to play this game?” he asks, putting his phone down. 

“Til Saturday, probably,” Joe says, eyeing Ben’s phone, but knowing he’s not going to know anything by stealing it. 

“Well, just three days left,” Ben says. He picks his fork back up. “I’m on Rami’s side, by the way.”

“Fine, I’ll never ask you to shoot boudoir photos on short notice on a Wednesday, ever again.”

“Deal.”

 

Joe waits until Thursday morning to send the rest of the photos, one for every hour Rami doesn’t respond. 

Joe, on the bed, in his underwear alone, on his back, hand on his hip, one arm tucked under his head, looking off into the distance.

Joe, on the bed, same pose, no underwear, sheet delicately tucked over his cock, hip and thighs bare.

Joe, in the bathtub, legs high, and surrounded by bubbles.

Joe, bare chested, in jeans, gripping Rami’s leash in both hands.

The list goes on, picture after picture.

He doesn’t get a response until dinner time. It’s a video.

The video still is of Rami. Joe’s at work, but after the barrage of photos he sent, he doesn’t trust this. 

He waits until he’s at home, even though the interrium is torturous. 

Frowning, curious, Joe opens it. It’s Rami, furiously biting his lip, eyes shut tight. He’s breathing hard through his nose and softly grunting. When he opens his eyes, they’re bright with playfulness and audacity. “Thinking of you,” Rami says, voice low. 

_Holy shit._

His sub is beautifully brazen, and Joe saves the video, hoping to whoever’s listening that no one hacks their phones, because _this_ , this is just for them. 

He takes a minute to take a few deep breaths.

_Did I win?_ Rami texts.

Joe wants to give in with a thousand yeses, but since Rami is egging him on, Joe can’t stop. 

_It was an outstanding performance_ , Joe texts back. _5/5 stars. See you tomorrow._

Joe thinks for a minute. Then, he types out, _Meet me 30 mins before class at the club._

_I’ll be there._

Joe packs the leash in his backpack, and opens the video again, laying down on his bed and unbuttoning his jeans, slipping his hand into his underwear. He watches as his sub touches himself, thinking of Joe, and Joe’s never come so easily.

 

Friday night rolls in, and Joe’s never looked so forward to something since graduation. He’s booked the massage room for thirty minutes before class time and texts Rami the room number as soon as the card clears. 

Rami knocks, and Joe opens the door. “Hi,” Rami says, smiling already, and Joe can’t help but swoop in and kiss him. 

This is new. Of course, of course, they’ve kissed before, it should be easy, simple. And yet. Joe’s never kissed him, outright, he’s always waited for Rami to make the first move. It seems like there’s always a first with Rami, and he’s ready for a hundred more firsts, for a thousand more second times, and an eternity of being so easy with each other, that it seems like there were never any firsts at all.

His lips move slickly against Rami’s, his hand come up to cup his jaw, feeling along the sharp line with shaking fingers. 

They part, and Rami smiles slowly, tilting his chin to come back for more, but Joe pulls back. 

“I’ve got other plans,” he says, his voice already rough. 

“You’ve always got plans,” Rami says. He shrugs off his backpack at the door, locking it.

“And?” Joe asks, laughing. “You always benefit, right?”

“Yes,” Rami says. “But never when I want it. Like, say, tonight?”

Joe frowns. “We’re not doing a scene… wait.”

Rami smirks, and then laughs, pulling Joe in for another kiss, trying to distract Joe, and it almost works. 

“You mean to tell me that’s what this is all about?”

“Not at first,” Rami says, admitting it. “But I would like the scene you’re planning for tomorrow, tonight.”

“I’ve been bamboozled by your masculine wiles,” Joe accuses. 

“So, yes? I won?” Rami asks. 

“Not so fast,” Joe says, and walks them back to the massage table, stepping easily between Rami’s legs. “We’re doing a small scene. Not what I had in mind, but obviously you need to be taken in hand,” Joe says, whispering the last words in Rami’s ear. “Tell me your safeword,” he commands.

“Milk,” Rami sighs, and Joe cups him through his jeans. 

“Here’s what we’re going to do, since you have such a problem with when I schedule things for your own good,” Joe says, deftly opening Rami’s jeans and pulling them and his underwear down enough so Rami’s half hard cock is exposed. Joe spits in his hand and takes Rami’s cock, stroking him a few times.

Rami brings his arms up and around Joe’s neck, kissing where he can reach, urging Joe to meet his mouth. 

Joe caves, one hand on Rami’s dick, one on his neck, slipping his tongue into Rami’s mouth in a preview of what would happen tomorrow. “Stop distracting me,” Joe hisses. 

“But sir,” and if that doesn’t do it for Joe, “I reap so many benefits this way.” But Rami is again, exemplary, and stops kissing Joe. 

Joe has regrets. 

“As I was saying,” Joe says, tugging on Rami’s cock. “I’m going to suck you off, since I like it. And you?”

Rami’s already spreading his thighs, leaning back against the massage table. Ready, eager. Perfect.

“You don’t get to touch.” Joe swipes his thumb across the slit, and Rami moans.

Joe grins and gets on his knees. He rubs his cheek against Rami’s cock, feeling the already beading precome gathering there. Joe strokes Rami, licking at the tip, quick and agile darts of the tongue. 

Rami’s thighs quiver at Joe’s shoulders, and can hear the attempts at steadying breaths, the gripping of the massage table; shaky air and squeaking leather. 

“Oh sweetheart,” Joe says, glancing up, playfully reaching his other hand to cup Rami’s sac, pressing his fingers on the perineum just behind there. “I haven’t even started, and you’re all worked up.”

Rami makes a choked sound, open mouth wet from his tongue nervously licking his lips, looking down at Joe. His whole body is tightened in anticipation for Joe’s next move, and Joe knows this must be extraordinarily difficult for Rami. Rami, when not tied down, moves.

He’s graceful and clumsy, somehow at the same time. And when Joe tells him to do anything in a scene, his body undulates in response, a symphony of response to what Rami won’t let his lips utter. 

But Joe is fluent in Rami’s body language now, and this tenseness is no longer the reluctant and rightfully distrusting man of a month ago. Now, he’s telling Joe to _stop talking_ , and _please, please can I touch you_ , and Joe would love for Rami to command him one day, maybe when they’re not doing a scene Joe can ask, and Rami can give. But for now, Joe is the one that’s the caretaker. The one that knows what Rami needs and wants. What Rami can handle.

Joe pulls Rami’s foreskin up over the head of his cock and then ever so gently with lip-covered teeth, nibbles on it. He darts his tongue into the pocket he created and lets go of Rami’s cock, just sucking on the tip. First softly, then harder, drawing cries from Rami’s throat, and more precome from his cock.

Joe plays with the smooth head for a few minutes, playfully kissing it occasionally and then scraping his teeth over the glans ever so gently. 

Rami is moaning, clenching his thighs and losing his grip on the table from sweat and want.

Joe takes Rami into his mouth and slowly guides him to the back of his throat, fluttering the muscles there before pulling back a bit and starting to bob his head a bit. He wishes he could deep throat Rami for longer, but Joe knows the limitations of his own body.

Rami’s hips start to jerk, and Joe can feel from his frame and the way Rami’s balls tighten in his hands that he’s going to come soon. 

Joe pulls off.

Rami grunts, shaking, hips thrusting into nothing, his eyes still locked on Joe. “Please?” he says, oh so prettily. 

Joe hums, and stands, watching Rami’s face as he makes his next move. He undoes his own jeans and pushes them down enough to get a handle on himself.

Rami’s mouth is open in surprise and want and Joe almost laughs.

“Like it?” Joe asks, voice rough from sucking Rami. “I thought, if I had my way, I would meet Rami at the club, open my jeans and fuck him over the massage table. Underwear just gets in the way.”

Rami slowly nods, his cock twitches.

“However, you’ve been toying with me, and you won’t get that tonight.”

Rami keens, barely holding onto the massage table now.

Joe starts to stroke himself quickly, knowing he’s not going to last long, not with the past week being what it was. Not with Rami here, trying desperately to hold himself back from touching Joe.

Joe steps closer, their cocks touch and Rami yelps, arching his neck back. Joe sees a peek of the collar. _Good_ , he thinks, possessive and wanting. _Mine_.

“Joe, sir, please,” he says.

“Please what?” Joe asks.

“Come, please?”

“Think you’ve earned that?” Joe asks, teasing. 

Rami moans, shaking, starting to fall.

Joe presses his body to Rami’s against the massage table, and Rami starts thrusting, his body searching for a crescendo. 

Joe keeps stroking himself, his knuckles brushing against Rami’s cock on every repeat. 

He brings his other hand up, and simply rubs his palm over the top of their cocks for the gathered moisture there, and grabs both of them with both of his hands, and Rami’s whole body jerks. 

Rami comes, and his hips thrust as he tries to wrap his legs around Joe. He slumps to the floor, panting. Joe stops stroking, watching as Rami tries to get himself together.

“Now, ordinarily,” Joe says, making sure Rami is watching as Joe licks off the cum that landed on his hand, his arm. “I would lay you out and flip you over, fuck into that sweet ass of yours until you were ready to go again.” 

Joe watches as Rami moans, wearily lifting a hand before letting it drop. 

“But since you wanted a quickie,” Joe shrugs, and steps up to Rami. “Suck me,” he demands. “Don’t touch me with your hands.”

Rami nods and shuffles on his knees to Joe, placing his hands behind his back before taking Joe in his mouth.

Joe fucks into it gently, a few pumps of his hips and then his spine tingles, and his toes curl as he comes down Rami’s throat.

“You okay?” Joe asks, as soon as he gets his senses back.

“Hold me,” Rami says immediately, and Joe drops on his knees and takes Rami into his arms.

“You were so good for me, thank you,” Joe says, pressing little kisses on Rami’s cheek, his lips. “Doing exactly what I asked, how are you so good?”

Rami shivers for a minute, and Joe reaches for his backpack for the blanket. He drapes it over Rami. 

“You okay?” Joe asks again, after a while. “We can call off the class if you need to.”

“I’m fine,” Rami says. He feels more loose and warm against Joe. “I’d only want you to call it off if you wouldn’t be near me.”

“Look, I’ll carry you piggyback all night if that’s what you need.”

Rami laughs, gently shoves Joe. “Go get me my water and chocolate,” he says. 

 

The class goes fine; Joe shows some of the more complex knots that build off the basic ones, and starts on the rope dress, using Rami as an example. 

Joe makes sure to keep Rami nearby even as he wanders and checks on the couples, touches him every so often to steady him. 

Soon enough, class is over, and Joe makes sure everyone is unraveled and lathered up with Palmer’s cream. 

After everyone shuffles out, Joe looks at Rami, who is looking considering. 

“What?” Joe asks. 

“Just two more classes,” Rami says, looking at him.

_Okay_ , Joe thinks, _so we’re having this conversation now_. “Your contract is up at the end of the two weeks, did you want to redraft it?” Joe asks. He hopes he worded it correctly, hopes he’s not forcing Rami to make a decision. “You can take some time and think —” 

“Yes,” Rami says. “Yes, I want to redraft it. I,” he takes a breath and looks at Joe. “I don’t need to think about it.”

Joe nods, slowly. “Great,” he says, taking in a deep breath. “We’ll redraft it this weekend, then.”

Rami nods, and then he looks like the cat who got the cream. “So, no scene until tomorrow?” he asks.

“That’s the deal,” Joe says. “And it’s a doozy too, you really should wait it out.” He smirks. Rami has no idea what’s in store, this time.

“What if I could convince you otherwise?” Rami asks.

“I’m sorry,” Joe asks, laughing, “were you not there an hour ago in the massage room? What was that, a joke?”

Rami smiles, full out. “No, it was great, and I really liked it.” He slinks, and that the only word Joe can think of to describe the way Rami is sauntering over, slinks to Joe’s side. “But what if I could convince you otherwise?” he asks, voice low. 

“Obviously I’m open to hearing whatever you need,” Joe says. He smiles. “If you could convince me, I’d be surprised.”

Rami tilts his head, thoughtful. “Meet me downstairs in the club in fifteen minutes,” he says. Then he smirks. “Then I’ll see you at my place tonight.”

Joe laughs, and Rami grins before grabbing his backpack and darting out the door. 

 

Joe diligently waits fifteen minutes then walks downstairs, putting the leash he packed in his back pocket. He’s holding the ace up his sleeve in this game of sexy upmanship.

He walks onto the club floor, the sight familiar, his home away from home, people doing scenes on St. Andrew’s crosses, the pulsing beat of the music. 

Joe searches the crowd for Rami, a small lithe frame in a white shirt. He’s surely ditched his jacket, Joe thinks, and is about to look around the bar when he sees him.

Rami, on the dancefloor, bare chested and with tight black pants on. Those weren’t the jeans from earlier, Joe is sure of it. He would know, because all he can think about is how the hell those pants are going to come off. 

Entranced, Joe walks over to Rami, feeling inadequate against this sight of beauty, and as Joe nears, he sees that Rami still has the collar on, and his nipples are somehow gleaming. Joe quickens his pace, locked in on his target. _Nipple shields_ , Joe discovers. _He’s wearing nipple shields_ , and _were those on the whole time? All night?_

Joe rushes to Rami’s side, before anyone else can think to look at him, and how could they not, Rami’s like the sun, warm and inviting. And when Rami finally sees Joe, his smile is brighter than any star. 

Joe dances over, feeling clumsy, like he’s either had too many drinks, or not enough, and grabs onto Rami’s waist and grinds into him from behind, Rami’s arms coming up to try to wrap around Joe’s neck. Unfortunately, they’re both the same height, and Rami tries to turn around in Joe’s arm, but Joe continues his slow dance behind Rami, gripping his hip to keep him in place. 

Joe pulls his leash out from behind, drags the hand on the hip up to keep Rami’s chest still, and uses his last vestige of wits to clip the leash to the collar.

Rami slumps against him, and Joe feels like his brain is full of static, and and all he wants to do is devour Rami, just keep him pressed to his body and play with the nipple shields, leash firmly in his hand. 

Rami makes the move to turn again, and Joe makes room for him. 

“Come to my place,” Rami says against the cusp of Joe’s ear, before biting it gently.

Joe is helpless but to say yes. 

 

The Lyft to Rami’s is interminable, and Joe can’t keep his hands off Rami, like a horny teenager. He can’t just hold Rami’s hand, he has to press his face to Rami’s neck, lick his jawline while Rami giggles, encouraging Rami to continue. He has to kiss Rami tenderly, fierce and with fervor before Rami pushes him away. 

“Stay over there, Charlie doesn’t want two dudes making out in the back seat of her car.”

“Don’t mind me,” Charlie pipes in helpfully, “No sex though, okay?”

Rami laughs. “Stay over there,” Rami repeats. 

Joe resolves himself to stay on his side of the car.

When they finally get dropped off, breezing past the doorman and to the elevator bay, holding hands and pressing the up button.

Joe rubs his thumb over Rami’s hand as they ride up, and Rami squeezes his hand.

The elevator door opens and Joe pushes Rami against the door, unzipping his leather jacket, revealing bare skin, and those fucking nipple shields, little golden flowers pinning Rami’s tight nipples in place. _Fuck_.

Rami gasps, as Joe starts to play with them, and turns around to open the door quickly, and they stumble in, laughing, Joe practically chasing Rami. 

But Rami stops, stock still, and Joe’s laughter dies out.

“Rami?” Joe asks, and the _what’s wrong_ dies on his tongue as he see a woman standing in Rami’s living room, as short as they are but commanding all the attention. And Joe already knows who it is before Rami even addresses her.

“Ellia.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for your patience on this one, y'all! 
> 
> also... cliffhanger! 
> 
> (j/k these two will be okay)


	9. Chapter 9

Joe is torn between placing himself between Rami and Ellia, and dragging Rami out of the apartment right the fuck now. 

Then Ellia opens her mouth. 

“I ran into a friend the other day,” she says, standing up. “And he told me that you were seeing his ex, who is notoriously a softie,” Ellia gives Joe a withering look.

“Riley?” Joe asks, and while he had no idea seeing his old sub would lead to this, he’s not surprised at their combined levels of bitchiness.

“One and the same. I figured,” and she saunters over, dangling a key from one finger, “that I’d use my key and see what you were up to, Rami.”

Joe grabs Rami’s hand, squeezes it. “You need to get out,” Joe says firmly. “You don’t have any business being here, or anywhere near Rami.”

“I’m his dom,” she sneers, and Joe can tell this could escalate, and quickly. And he doesn’t want Rami to be subjected to this woman’s manipulative and abusive nature ever again.

“You need to leave,” Rami says, voice breaking, gripping Joe’s hand so, so hard. “You need to give me that key, and you need to never come near me again, or I will put a restraining order on you, and I will sue you for causing emotional distress,” Rami says, his words steady and calm, but his body shaking. 

Ellia blinks, clearly not expecting this reaction.

Rami holds out his hand, palm up, for the key.

Joe has never been more proud. He holds Rami’s hand as tightly as Rami is holding his.

Ellia scoffs, and turns to Joe. “And you’re going to let him speak to me like that?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. Like suddenly, from one dom to another, Ellia and Joe are on the same level. She wishes.

“You heard him,” Joe says. “Hand the key over and leave, Ellia. And never go near him ever again.”

Ellia’s face turns bitter, like the foul taste of being spurned is on her tongue. “You’ll come back,” she says to Rami, less of a promise to him than an empty reassurance to herself. She tosses the key at Rami, and he catches it.

Ellia walks out of the living room and out of the front door, slamming it shut. 

Rami lets go of Joe’s hand and locks the deadbolt and the chain, wordlessly. 

“Rami?” Joe asks softly, “you okay?”

Rami turns to him and hugs him, his body still trembling, clutching at Joe’s shoulders. 

“You were amazing, sweetheart,” Joe says, rubbing his hands over Rami’s back. He guides Rami to the bedroom, intent on taking care of him. 

He pulls Rami’s jacket off, and in noticing the nipple shields, Joe whispers, “Hey let me get those off,” and he gently pries them open, placing them on the bedside stand. 

Rami watches him, bare chested and sitting on the bed, looking more vulnerable than Joe’s ever witnessed him being outside of a scene. 

Joe cups Rami’s face, standing between Rami’s legs. “You are the bravest guy,” Joe says. “What do you need?”

Rami puts his hands over Joe’s, and takes a deep breath. “I don’t know,” Rami says quietly. He looks up at Joe, confused. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“I can,” Joe says, adamant. He leans over and gently presses a kiss to Rami’s forehead. 

Rami lets out a shaky sigh, grabbing onto Joe’s wrists. He limply reaches up to hold Joe’s neck, to guide him down, and Joe trails his lips on Rami’s face, his large eyes, his sharp nose and jawline. 

When Joe’s lips meet Rami’s, Rami is already tilting his head up in the search for Joe’s mouth. Joe licks along the seam of Rami’s lips, and they easily open for him, granting him access. Joe runs his tongue along Rami’s teeth, feels along the ridges of his mouth, slides along Rami’s tongue before pulling out and nipping on those lips again and again. 

Rami moans, and falls back, gripping onto Joe. 

Joe grunts, and awkwardly catches himself with his arms on the bed, propping himself up above Rami. “This what you need?” Joe asks.

“I need you,” Rami says, shifting underneath him. He looks like he’s going to say more, but stops. 

Joe leans down, letting his body settle on top of Rami’s.

Rami’s arms come up to wrap around his neck, to feel along Joe’s spine, long fingers digging in deep to his ass.

Joe kisses across Rami’s face, unable to be too far from his lips, the supplication of his mouth on Joe’s. Joe slides a hand up Rami’s chest, and Rami hisses as Joe’s thumb glances off a nipple, still tender from the shields.

Joe gets up to take off his shirt, and Rami climbs further onto the bed, his head making its way to the pillows. Joe gets on the bed to find Rami again, pressing their chests together and letting their soft bellies touch, Joe relishing the breath of Rami, lifting him up again and again.

Joe kisses Rami again, and shivers, moaning into Rami’s skin. They join hands, and Joe feels his face heat up and pleasure pool down his spine to his base. 

He tries to make his way to Rami’s neck, to suck a fresh mark where the old one has faded, but Rami won’t let him, keeps him in place with a gentle touch, demanding kisses and a fierce grip in Joe’s hair.

Joe groans, unable to move from Rami’s kisses, warm skin and hands plying him with squeezes; soft touches.

Joe feels Rami’s wet mouth with his own, the undulation of their bellies, the stiffness of their cocks through jeans, and Rami’s stuttering hand moving down Joe’s back to his ass. Rami spreads his legs, and Joe moans, not sure where this is leading, because he’s not in charge.

Joe feels like needs more hands, or more bodies, or something, because he wants to make Rami feel so good, and in this situation, this is uncharted territory.

This is their first time where Joe’s not guiding them, not telling Rami what to do, their first time on their own. He’s out on a canoe with Rami, and they both have to guide it, and Joe feels like Rami is telling him to come ashore, but he doesn’t know for sure.

“Rami,” Joe pants, coming up from the heady underwater feeling that kissing Rami gives him. “Rami, what —” he says, and he’s not even sure how to finish that.

“Just be with me,” Rami says, and Joe kisses him again. 

It feels like his mouth was made for this, made to worship Rami’s body, to be open and tingling in hope for whatever Rami is ready for.

Rami lets go of Joe’s hand, and pushes on his shoulders. 

Joe tries to kiss a path down Rami’s stomach, to press soft open mouthed pleas on the way to Rami’s tight pants, but Rami laughs, and pulls Joe back up to his mouth.

“Take off your pants,” Rami says, and Joe rolls off of Rami and kicks off his shoes and socks, delicately undoes his zipper around his erection and sends his jeans and underwear into the direction of his shoes.

“Need help?” Joe asks, once fully naked, watching Rami struggle with his own pants.

Rami grunts in exasperation. “These were so hard to get on,” he complains.

“Well,” Joe says, getting up and taking off Rami’s shoes and socks, then gripping each side of the pants to tug as Rami lifts his hips, “these pants were not made for day to day wear.”

“I don’t know,” Rami laughs as Joe almost falls and the force of Joe’s pull has him sliding on the bed. “Maybe I’ll wear them to the office Monday.”

“You’ll be the talk of the firm.” Joe finally gets the pants off and slings them over his shoulder.

“Come back here,” Rami says, nearly pouting.

Joe gets on the bed, awkwardly trying to avoid hurting Rami or himself, and Rami sits up and crawls over to meet him.

Rami kisses him, hands gripping at Joe’s arms, moving them so Joe’s wrapped around Rami. 

Joe sighs into Rami’s mouth, kneeling before him, wanting him, more than the way his cock is rising up and eager. Wants him in the way his heart aches, the way he smiles into this kiss. Wants him, craves him like Joe’s never really known.

“Want you,” Joe breathes, trying to convey to Rami across the divide of their thoughts. 

“Got me,” Rami assures him, and Joe moans, because he’s not sure Rami knows what he’s promising. Rami can’t possibly know the hunger Joe has for him. “Joe,” he says, between kisses, between lying back and guiding Joe between his legs, “I need you.”

“Me too,” Joe says, and he knows it doesn’t make sense outloud as much as it does in his head. 

Rami bucks his hips up, grinding against Joe in an echo of what happened on the dance floor earlier that night. But now there’s no one between them, there’s no clothes, there’s only the collar on Rami’s throat. 

Joe had forgotten, that it was there, that Rami had it on while Ellia was here. 

Rami, showing off what he means to Joe. 

“Rami,” Joe pants, following the rhythm of Rami’s hips, thrusting his slowly wetting cock against Rami’s, the slick of their sweat easing the way. 

“Joe, the lube’s in the drawer,” Rami says. 

Joe hums, wills himself to stop and scoots over to the side of the bed. He clumsily opens the drawer and feels around for the bottle of lube. Finally, grasping something that feels like it might be the lube, Joe goes back to Rami. 

The bottle is half empty. 

“Ah, we’ve been busy,” Joe teases, waving the bottle back and forth.

“This would go faster if you would stretch me open,” Rami says, laughing. “Or I could demonstrate what I’ve been doing with the lube and you could watch.”

“As much as I’d love that, and I totally would, we will do that sometime,” Joe rambles, “I’d rather be touching you right now.”

Joe flips open the cap and pours lube on his fingers as Rami opens his legs to guide Joe in. Joe inserts a single finger into Rami fairly easily, and he hums again, kissing Rami’s neck, sliding a second finger in. “Like you loose,” Joe says, and Rami gasps. 

“I got myself ready,” Rami says as Joe crooks his finger inside of him. “Earlier tonight, I wanted to be ready.”

Joe moans, shaken at the idea of Rami fingering himself open for Joe. Then he blinks. “When?” he asks.

“After work,” Rami says, “I bought a plug. Opened myself up and wore it until the club, then,” he sighs, lifting his hips as Joe starts rubbing on that sweet spot, curling his fingers just so. “Then I had to put those stupid pants on, but I couldn’t help myself, and I got the plug back out and fucked myself thinking about you.”

“Jesus, fuck,” Joe hisses, and has to grip the bottom of his cock firmly, painfully stopping himself from coming on Rami’s thigh. He takes a few deep breaths, head heavy on Rami’s chest as Rami runs his hands through Joe’s hair. “You can’t just say things like that, Malek.”

“Why not, it’s true.”

“Because I don’t want to come on you like a seventeen year old who doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

Rami laughs, sighing as Joe adds a third finger, plunging them into Rami’s body. Rami accepts them, the squelch of lube satisfying to Joe’s ears.

“You were probably a cute seventeen year old,” Rami says, kissing the top of Joe’s head, even as Joe’s pinkie finger teases along the rim of Rami’s hole.

“I was gangly and weird, and had no game.”

“Just my type,” Rami says, and then moans as Joe slowly opens his hand to lay his fingers flat, tucking in his pinkie besides them before closing them again to fuck into Rami. “You gonna,” Rami gasps as Joe digs deep, hitting his prostate again, “You gonna finger fuck me all night?”

“What if I wanted to?” Joe asks, half teasing, half serious.

“I didn’t wear a plug for two hours for your hand, Mazzello,” Rami says. “Although the idea is tempting.”

“What if this is the night I can get you to come three times?” Joe asks, nipping at a sore nipple.

Rami curses. “Not sure I can do that.”

Joe lets his fingers slide out of Rami’s hot body and slides his thighs under Rami’s, opening him up even wider, tilting his hips up to meet Joe’s. “Ready?” Joe asks.

Rami nods, gripping Joe’s shoulder, and Joe holds himself, guiding his cock into Rami’s ass, sliding in all the way easily this time. “Fuck,” Joe says, and reaches out for Rami’s hand with his own. 

Joe feels like he’s already so close, but he wants this to last, to comfort Rami, because this, this isn’t just sex. It hasn’t been just sex for a while, Joe thinks. Maybe ever.

Joe slowly rocks into Rami, again, their hips meeting as Joe moves between Rami’s shaking thighs, clenching Joe so closely Joe can barely move. 

Rami gasps and groans, grunts as Joe moves into him, and Joe leans forward to capture those noises with his mouth, to taste Rami’s pleas with his tongue.

Joe can feel himself close, knows the growing heat in his groin will release into Rami soon. He wishes that he could just be with Rami for hours on end, slowly grinding into him until they were both exhausted.

Make love to him.

Joe moans, bites at Rami’s chin, licks into his mouth. “Rami,” he says, wanting to beg him to come, to let Joe come; wanting to beg for forever. “Always,” Joe says, all of his brain cells gone in the blazing heat of Rami’s body.

Rami comes, untouched and his body stuttering, shaking with pleasure, and Joe gasps as Rami’s body clenches onto Joe’s cock, Rami’s arms hold him against his still twitching dick.

Joe tries to keep his hips slow, but the force of Rami’s climax hits Joe and he’s spilling into Rami, toes curling, screaming into Rami’s shoulder. 

They lie there for a few minutes, and Joe realizes he’s probably crushing Rami and gently pulls out and off; both of them sigh. 

Rami rolls into Joe’s side. 

“We should probably get a washcloth,” Joe says.

“Your shirt is closer,” Rami says, mumbling into his shoulder.

“Yes, but I have to wear that shirt tomorrow,” Joe counters. He fights against his weak limbs and gets up to head to the bathroom, grabs a towel and wets it with hot water.

He roughly cleans himself off before going into the bedroom and tossing the towel to Rami.

Rami just groans.

Joe chuckles and climbs onto the bed to gently wipe Rami down before tucking up behind him and pulling the covers up over them. 

 

When Joe wakes up on his back, Rami is splayed on top of him, thigh across Joe’s hips, arm wrapped around Joe’s shoulders.

Joe takes a deep breath, and Rami squirms impossibly closer. Joe wants to check his phone for the time, not eager to be caught in bed naked by Sami, but his phone is somewhere amongst his clothes strewn on the floor. Joe closes his eyes, and lifts his left arm, not trapped and asleep to drag his fingers on Rami’s arm.

Rami sighs, blearily lifting his head, looking at Joe then going back down again. He groans, stretching— further pressing himself against Joe. “Don’t make me get up,” Rami says.

“I’m okay to laze around in bed,” Joe says. “I just don’t want your brother to walk in on us.”

Rami huffs. “He’s seen worse.”

“Yes, but I want him to actually not hate me, so…”

Rami gives up the ghost and straddles Joe’s hips, sitting up. 

Joe’s left hand lands on Rami’s thigh. His right one is still asleep, tingling from all the blood rushing back in. 

Rami smiles, looking golden in the morning light. 

“How’re you feeling?” Joe asks. 

Rami stretches his arms above his head, sticks his chest out, humming. Joe takes a steadying breath, trying to swallow down the want rising up. 

“I feel great,” Rami says, smiling. He places his hands on Joe’s chest, starts playing with the sparse chest hair there.

“Sore?” Joe asks, having to clear his throat.

Rami scoots up, coming into contact with Joe’s growing erection. He smirks. “I’m sore, but in a nice way. Like a,” he lifts a hand and waggles it back and forth in a so-so motion, “day after working out sore.”

“Great.” Joe watches as Rami puts his hands on either side of Joe’s chest and leans down, pressing their half hard cocks together. Joe closes his eyes. “Well if you get up I can check on you.”

“Later, I’m busy,” Rami says, shifting. His eyes are heavy with lust.

“Please?” Joe asks, voice cracking.

Rami narrows his eyes. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

“I —” Joe catches himself. Licks his lips. _I’ve fallen for you, I want to be serious, aren’t we moving incredibly fast?, I’ve never felt this way about another person before._

Rami stills, and his face falls.

_Oh God, no_.

“I like you,” Joe blurts out, caught in a rundown between his need to take care of Rami and his desire to not be rejected. 

Rami blinks at him, wide eyed in shock.

Joe is fairly certain his whole body is red, now. He covers his face with both hands and groans. “I like you, a lot,” Joe says into his palms. “I sound like a seventh grader,” he bemoans, continuing. “If I keep talking then eventually the subject can change and we can pretend that I’m not insane for being way too invested in this relationship.” Joe feels a tug on his wrists. “Not that I’m not invested, I care, obviously, just maybe too much, and I don’t want to scare you —” 

“Joe,” Rami interrupts, tugging at his wrists again, and slowly, Joe lets Rami pull his hands away. 

Rami, miraculously, doesn’t look scared. He smiles softly. “I like you too,” he admits.

“Yeah?” Joe says, softly.

Rami laughs, then stops when he sees Joe is being serious. He tilts his head. “You’re sweet, funny, and treat me like I’m the most important person. You’re also incredibly handsome, and impossibly sexy.”

Joe smiles weakly at the praise. 

“I mean it,” Rami says. “I know it’s only been a month, but,” and he pauses, looking thoughtful. “Some relationships gel faster than others.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Joe admits.

Rami shakes his head. “Joe, you can’t protect me from everything. Yes, Ellia was a bad dom. I had a bad relationship. But I went to therapy. And I’m with a really amazing and caring guy right now.” He runs fingers through Joe’s hair. 

Joe’s eyes close at the simple pleasure. 

“He’s the kind of guy that wants to take care of me, that likes me. And I think that’s really special,” Rami continues.

“Rami,” Joe breathes out, slowly opening his eyes.

Rami hums in reply, a questioning sound.

“Can I kiss you?”

Rami smiles slowly. “Yeah,” he says softly, and closes the gap between them.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger solved! One or two more chapters after this, my friends!


	10. Chapter 10

The rest of Saturday morning Joe makes sure Rami buys a new lock, tells the doorman to never let Ellia in again and hangs out with Sami while Joe has to go to work.

Joe makes sure to text Rami while he’s away every twenty or thirty minutes. Who cares if they’re extra busy, Rami is so much more important. 

_Do I meet you at yours?_ Rami texts an hour before Joe’s shift ends. 

_Go to Ben and Gwil’s, I’ll see you in an hour and a half_ , Joe texts back. He can barely wait that long to get his hands on Rami again. 

Finally the shift is over and Joe makes his way to Ben and Gwil’s, eager to get the night started. 

He knocks on the door to the apartment, and Ben opens it. “You’re here! Finally!”

“It’s like I can’t tell if you’re looking forward to the evening or not,” Joe drawls. 

Ben bounces in place. “I’ve looked forward to this possibility for a month, don’t even insinuate that I’m not excited.”

Joe hums. “Well, the sooner you let me in, the sooner we can start.” He smirks, shifting the back pack on his shoulders. 

Ben raises his chin, playfully considering. He smiles, relenting, and opens the door for Joe to walk in. 

“Thank you,” Joe says, leaning over and pecking a kiss on Ben’s cheek. 

“You’re here!” Gwil says, and he and Rami gets up from the couch. 

“We need to set up,” Joe says. He looks at the tv, playing Property Brothers. “That means turning off HGTV.” He toes off his shoes and socks. 

“The dude on there was ridiculous,” Ben pipes up from behind him. “He wanted a genuine man cave next to the kitchen that wasn’t open concept. He was obviously more interested in his seventy two inch tv than his wife.”

“They find the worst couples for this show,” Gwilym agrees. “If this was on overseas, no one would want to come to America.”

Joe laughs. “Sorry it’s not man versus pastry adorableness like you guys crank out.”

“The Great British Bake Off is a classic and good show—” Ben starts, affronted, before Joe interrupts. 

“I have sexy plans, and you’re ruining it for me,” he says, raising an eyebrow at Ben, laughing.

Rami stands, blushing. “You mean we’re… tonight?”

Joe looks at him, takes off his back pack, and walks over, cupping Rami’s face in his hands. “Say the word and we’ll make fun of the awful couples on this show.”

Rami thinks. “It’s a surprise, that’s all.”

“It’s what I planned originally, before Ellia showed up last night.” He leans forward and presses a soft kiss to Rami’s lips. “Hey, I’m serious, if you don’t want to, just say so.”

Rami bites his lip. “I trust you,” he says, and Joe blushes, feeling warm. Rami trusts him. Rami _likes_ him. 

“Thank you,” Joe says, trying not to get choked up.

“So what’s the plan?” Ben asks.

“We gotta move the coffee table, first,” Joe says, and Gwil nods, and he and Joe set it underneath the windows. 

“Let’s close these blinds,” Gwil says, doing so. 

“Okay, Rami, you’ll be under me and my rules as we do this,” Joe says. “Gwil will give you commands, but if you don’t follow the rules then I’ll be the one doing the punishment, okay?”

Rami nods, eyes wide and swallowing. He’s clearly nervous, unsure. But wanting. 

“If you have any questions you can just ask at anytime.”

“Okay,” Rami says. He bites his lip. 

“You’re gonna be great,” Joe assures him. 

“When do we start?” Rami asks. 

“Tell me your safeword,” Joe commands. 

“Milk,” Rami says. 

“Needle,” Ben chimes in. 

“Poinsettia,” Gwil adds, standing up straight. 

“And Egret. With our powers combined...” Joe jokes. 

Gwil sends him a baleful look, and Rami laughs.

Joe turns to Gwil. “It was getting too serious,” Joe explains.

Gwil hums. “Both of you,” he says, addressing Rami and Ben. “Undress, please.”

Ben and Rami look at each other before slowly undressing, indiscriminately piling their clothes on the floor until they are each bare. 

Ben and Rami furtively glance at each other, one sub to another, and share a small smile.

Joe is going to have a hard time keeping his hands off them tonight, and from the looks of things, Gwil is too. 

Gwilym’s eyes are dark with want, looking at Ben and Rami. “Ben,” he says, clearing his throat, and Ben raises an eyebrow. “Play with Rami’s nipples.”

Ben blushes, pale skin going bright pink. “Can I?” he asks Rami, and Rami nods quickly. 

“Wait,” Rami says, as Ben’s hands come up. Ben stops, looking at him, looking at Gwil and Joe.

“It’s alright, darling, let him speak,” Gwilym calms Ben. 

“Can we,” and Rami’s skin flushes dark in embarrassment and desire, torn.

“Go ahead, you can ask,” Joe says. 

“Can we make out, first?” and Joe has never seen Rami this pink before. It’s beautiful, two gorgeous people in their own right, and Rami is asking Joe if he can kiss Ben. 

Joe darts a glance at Gwil, nods.

Ben is already grinning, knowing Gwilym’s desires and allowances. 

“Ben,” Gwil says, rephrasing the command, “please make Rami at ease with your mouth and hands, and make sure to pay attention to his nipples.”

Ben nods. “Sir,” he says, and turns to Rami again. He lifts a shaking hand to Rami’s face. “May I?” he asks. 

Rami nods, and Ben cups his face, stroking his thumb over Rami’s cheekbone. Rami closes his eyes, slowly opening them again as Ben moves closer. He watches Ben with heavy lidded eyes as Ben tilts his head, and gently presses his lips to Rami’s.

Joe watches as they tentatively find each other’s mouths again and again, becoming bolder with each new kiss. 

Ben slowly drags his hand down over Rami’s neck, to the collar resting there, pulling back. “This is nice,” he says, breathy and teasing. “Looks like you’ve been claimed.” He fingers the D ring on the collar, before sliding his hand down to Rami’s breastbone. 

“I have been,” Rami says confidently, and Joe kinda wants to walk over and kiss Rami senseless. Rami brings a hand up to Ben’s own collar, black with a silver O ring. “I like yours too.” He gasps as Ben brushes his fingers over Rami’s nipples. 

“Are you sensitive here?” Ben whispers, watching, enthralled. 

Rami nods, taking deep breaths. “Yes,” he hisses, as Ben twists one, plucking at it before moving to the next. 

“I have to be insanely turned on for mine to do anything,” Ben bemoans. 

“I could,” Rami says, taking a breath, leaning in to kiss Ben, “try to help you?” He darts a glance over to Joe. 

Joe nods, and Rami licks along the seam to Ben’s mouth, seeking entrance. 

Ben blinks but lets him, humming and closing his eyes in pleasure. 

Joe knows how it feels, to be kissed by Rami. To feel Rami’s acute desire focused on him, and he’s envious of Ben for a moment. He knows Rami likes Ben, in how he likes Gwil. But Rami is kissing Ben not sheerly out of a desire to please Ben but to please Joe. Rami is already doing so well. He’s built for praise.

“Rami,” Joe says, voice a little rough, “there’s a spot behind Ben’s left ear, would you please suck on it?”

Rami hums in understanding, and tilts his head to reach the spot, already searching with his mouth. 

Ben moans when Rami finds it, that little spot that drives Ben crazy, his hands stuttering in their purposeful journey. 

“Keep going, Ben,” Gwilym encourages, and Ben twists at Rami’s nipples, keening.

Rami moves his hands to Ben’s waist, and one travels up Ben’s abs to his nipple, flicking at it, scratching gently, beginning to copy movements that Ben is creating. 

The subs gasp and moan, their cocks beginning to rise. 

“Stop,” Gwil calls, and Ben pulls back from Rami, pink lipped, and a bruise starting on his neck. 

Joe and Gwil get out their respective sub’s toys.

Each Ben and Rami will wear nipple clamps and a cock ring. 

Joe is fairly certain Rami doesn’t necessarily need the ring to last, but it would be fantastic to take him to new heights again. 

Joe applies Rami’s cock ring first, putting the ring with the attached small vibe on Rami’s half hard cock before sliding the band around Rami’s sac. 

“Okay?” Joe asks, looking up. 

Rami nods shortly, breath coming in short bursts. 

“It’s not going to completely stop you from coming,” Joe says, explaining. “It’s just going to make it more intense.” He grabs the nipple clamps, and gently applies them, before adjusting the chains just so. 

Rami sways in place. The gold on his chest gleams, his cock growing in its restraint, Rami’s skin glows from pleasure and wantonness. 

“You look like a prince,” Joe says, feeling moved, and Rami blushes.

Rami tilts his chin up. “May I have a kiss, sir?” he asks quietly, and who is Joe to refuse such a request? 

Joe leans in and presses a far too gentle kiss on Rami’s lips. And then another, before pulling away.

Rami whines slightly, before catching himself. 

“Believe me,” Joe says, “I’d kiss you all night if I could, but we have other plans.” He playfully tugs on the chains and Rami sways forward, grunting. “Now,” Joe says, and goes over to his bag to grab the lube, “You and Ben are going to prep each other.” He puts the lube in Rami’s hand. 

Rami looks at him, eyes wide. 

“There’s no set rules,” Joe explains. “Just, enough where you’d be loose with me.”

Rami smirks, glancing down to Joe’s pants.

Joe rolls his eyes. “Not that loose,” he says, and goes to sit on the couch, taking his shirt off. 

Rami’s eyes are locked on him as Gwil joins him on the couch. Rami goes to Ben, lube in hand and asks, “How would like it?”

Ben stares at the lube for a minute. “Me first, then you,” he decides. He sits down on the floor and spreads his legs, looking to the side. 

“I can go first,” Rami offers, “if you’re nervous.”

Ben shakes his head. “No offense, but I’ve been in a relationship with a man for longer, it’d be safer for you…” he trails off and shrugs. 

Rami nods. “How can I,” he clears his throat, opening the bottle of lube and pouring some on his fingers, “how can I make you less nervous? Have you done this before? With another sub I mean.”

Ben shakes his head, a small smile at his lips. “You’re my first shared sub in a scene,” he says, almost laughing. “Kiss me?” He blushes. “I think that’d help, if you kissed me.”

Rami nods, and scoots between Ben’s legs, taking his non lubed hand, and tugs on his nipple clamps. Ben groans, legs falling further apart, looking wide eyed at Rami. “Come here,” Rami says, tugging on the chain again, and Ben sits up and kisses him.

Rami and Ben kiss, the two of them so beautiful together, seemingly opposites, but so alike in their needs. Rami’s lubed hand makes its way to Ben’s entrance, and Joe can tell when Rami inserts a finger by the way Ben stills and gives a cut off grunt, the way Gwil leans forward instinctively at the noise. 

Rami nips and licks at Ben’s neck, occasionally glancing over at the couch and looking at Joe and Gwil. 

Ben curses and twitches, and Rami laughs, delighted. “You’re sensitive here, at least,” he teases, and Ben moans.

Rami looks over at the doms before taking the ring on Ben’s collar into his mouth and pulling a little.

Gwil groans, making an aborted move to get up, but squeezes his own thigh instead. “Goddamn,” he whispers.

“Okay,” Ben says, breathlessly, “your turn.”

Rami pouts but relents, hand coming out from between Ben’s thighs. 

Ben grabs the lube next to them. “Wanna put on a show?” he asks, smiling. 

Rami nods, and Ben scoots around to where he’s facing the couch. “Straddle me,” Ben says, and Rami brackets Ben’s thighs with his own, his back to Joe. 

Ben lubes one hand up as Rami cranes his neck around to look at Joe. 

“You’re doing great, sweetheart,” Joe tells him, and Rami smiles, satisfied.

Joe, on the other hand, is unbearably turned on, and he’s not sure he’s going to make it through the night without passing out. 

Ben brings his lubed hand to Rami’s back before tapping at his hole, just brushing his fingers over Rami’s entrance like Ben did with his nipples, earlier. 

Rami starts squirming, like he usually does, and Ben’s other hand goes to grip Rami’s hip. 

Rami tries to stay still, but ends up pressing his face into Ben’s neck as Ben starts to enter him, one finger at a time. 

Rami keens and gasps as Ben works him open, even bouncing on Ben’s fingers for a minute. Then Ben winks at Joe, and his hand twists just so, and Rami grinds his chest on Ben’s and they both moan at the sensation of their clamps colliding with one another. 

“Good God you’re wiggly,” Ben says, gasping for breath, hands stopped.

“Sorry,” Rami says, gently peeling his chest from Ben’s. 

Ben lets out a shuddering breath, and spreads his legs, opening up Rami even further. 

Rami moans as Ben pumps his fingers into his slick hole, shaking at the vulnerable position, the new hands on him, all under the watchful eyes of Joe and Gwil. 

Joe wants to see Rami to come like this, open and defenseless. But Joe also has more planned. “Stop,” he calls, and Ben’s fingers come out of Rami with squelching noise. 

“Please,” Rami calls, and Joe gets up gingerly from the couch and kneels behind Rami. 

“You’re doing so good,” Joe whispers into the nape of Rami’s neck. “We’re gonna move on to the next part now.”

Gwil nods, getting up and grabbing the next toy: ben wa anal beads. They’re relatively small, for Rami’s sake, but the chain of beads is long enough to serve their purposes. 

Joe urges Rami to climb off of Ben, and Gwil comes over with the beads. 

“What is that?” Rami asks, blinking.

“Ben wa anal beads,” Joe explains. “They’re not vibrating...kind of.”

“Kind of?” Rami asks.

Joe reaches for the beads and hands them to Rami. “Shake them,” he says, and Rami does. 

His eyes go wide. “So it’s like a weighted bell,” he says. “They have moveable weights inside the beads?”

Joe nods. “So the more you move, the more sensations you get.”

“You didn’t tell him the catch,” Gwilym says, smirking. “Rami, you will have three of these in you, and the other three, will be in Ben.” He holds out the chain, showing all seven balls, the middle one red in stark comparison to the black beads.

“So if Ben moves…” Rami trails off.

“Right,” Gwil confirms. “Now, both of you, hands and knees, please. Arses together.”

The subs move into position, legs tangled together and asses touching. 

“Rami, scoot up a little,” Joe urges. 

Rami does so, and Joe grabs the lube and slathers three beads in copious amounts of lube. 

“Ready?” Joe asks, and Rami nods. “Baby, you’re gonna feel so full, you’ll love it, trust me.”

“I trust you,” Rami says, easily and without hesitation. 

Joe checks Ben’s job of fingering Rami open first, making sure he can easily dip three fingers inside. Rami’s ass is still a little tight, so Joe spreads his fingers apart inside, twisting and curling them.

Ben is moaning, panting, but Joe is so caught up in the heat of Rami’s body it sounds distant. 

“There we are, darling,” Gwil says, and there’s a soft smack, Gwil patting Ben’s flank, and Ben moans, shaking. 

Joe guides Rami into the position, and picks up the chain dangling from Ben. He presses in one pearl, a little bigger than two of his fingers and watches as Rami’s ass takes it in so easily. He waits a moment, adds more lube, then pushes in the next bead. This is, as far as Joe knows, is Rami’s capacity. And Joe’s about to push it further. 

“Okay sweetheart,” Joe says, “Just one more.” He lubes the pearl up and gently presses it in, watching it disappear into Rami as he shudders. “Okay?” Joe asks, rubbing Rami’s sides soothingly. 

Rami nods. “Okay,” he pants.

“Color?”

“Green,” Rami replies, and Joe stands up, wanting to see them connected and full, all because of him and Gwil. 

Ben and Rami are on shaking limbs, Ben holding up far better than Rami, and the more they shake, the more the beads work. 

“Now,” Gwil says, stripping off his sweater and starting to unbuckle his pants, shucking them off along with his underwear. “Whoever loses a bead first gets punished.”

Joe keeps a sharp eye on Rami as he takes off his jeans and underwear too, needing to know about how Rami’s going to feel about this.

Punishment isn’t something they’ve done, but it’s something that Joe’s outlined in the original contract. Rami should know that whatever happens, he’s safe. Joe would never treat him poorly, or beat him like Ellia had. Each sub reacts to punishment differently, and therefore needs different types of punishments suited to the individual. 

Rami is so good, so eager to please, he doesn’t buck under Joe’s requests or commands. 

Ben has though. 

Rami stiffens a little as Joe goes to stand in front of him, his cock stiff. Rami looks up at him, at his cock, within teasing distance of Rami’s mouth. His eyes go wide at the realization of the plan. He wiggles back against Ben, not willing to move forward, but licking at his lips in want of them around Joe’s cock. He whines, high and broken. 

“Please,” Rami says, moving forward before stopping short. “Sir, please.”

Ben, meanwhile is trying to move Rami with him, tucking his feet under Rami’s knees to get him to shuffle backwards so Ben can get to Gwil’s cock. 

“Stop,” Rami hisses.

“I wanna,” Ben says, inching forward. Gwil teasingly steps back. “God, please let me suck your cock.” Ben jerks, and it must set off the beads because both subs moan. 

Rami gingerly gets on his elbows, spreading his legs so he can scissor his calves together, locking Ben in place. He hiccups in a cry, presenting himself to Joe. Rami looks pleadingly at him. “Please,” he says again. “I won’t move, I promise.” He looks teary eyed, and both subs stiffen at Rami’s entreaty. 

Joe’s about to color check when Ben leans forward and loses a bead. 

Rami gasps at the sensation of the beads moving, of losing Ben’s heat. 

Joe and Gwil exchange a glance. It’s clear that Ben did it on purpose, in order to keep Rami calm. 

“Ben,” Gwil says, voice stern, and Rami shakes, as Joe gets on his knees and slowly pulls on the string of pearls inside Ben. The next two come out easily and Ben gasps. 

“Ben, you have to trust that Joe and I will do the right thing,” Gwil continues, petting Ben’s hair. “I know you’re trying to protect Rami.”

Ben hangs his head. “I’m sorry, sir,” he says. 

“Go stand in the corner, hands on the wall, legs apart,” Gwilym points, and Ben gets up and does so, standing directly in front of Rami.

“Joe,” Rami says quietly, “I don’t know,” he bites his lip. 

Joe sits behind him and gently pulls Rami onto his lap. “It’s going to be okay,” Joe says. He holds Rami’s hand, presses a kiss to his cheek. “Just watch,” he whispers.

Gwil goes up behind Ben, standing there for a moment. The room is tense in silence.

Rami grips Joe’s hand so tight Joe almost starts to yell at Gwilym for being overly dramatic, but Gwil moves just in time.

Gwilym drops to his knees and spreads Ben’s cheeks wide. “Look at you, you sweet thing,” he says, and sticks two fingers into Ben’s hole before licking around them.

Ben keens at the sensation, toes curling on the hardwood floor. “Sir,” he stutters out.

“Oh, thought you’d get punished, did you?” Gwil asks, coming up for air. “Thought you’d do something so kind and it would go unnoticed?”

“No sir,” Ben says, panting as Gwil returns to lick around his fingers. 

Rami starts to squirm in Joe’s lap, and Joe gently takes Rami’s cock in hand, and lightly brushes it, just barely touching it with calloused fingers. Rami tries to jerk forward, to shove his cock into Joe’s grip, but Joe just stops touching him and Rami sobs. 

Rami’s hands grip Joe’s thighs without mercy. “Please sir,” he sobs.

“Not yet,” Joe answers hoarsely. “You’ve got a long way to go.”

Ben is moaning and panting, his head arched back, as Gwilym continues licking into him.

Rami grunts, in trying to find some friction, grinding back into Joe’s hips and cock. 

Joe grabs onto Rami’s hips and attempts to still him, the sensation too good. He swallows, and Rami leans back onto him, a human blanket. 

“Get up,” Joe says, releasing Rami’s cock and hip much to Rami’s dismay. “Hands and knees.”

Rami leans forward, climbing out of Joe’s lap. 

The view is enticing, Rami’s bare ass with the beads still in him. Joe picks up the other end and gives the string a good shake.

Rami moans in response, arms buckling. “Sir, please,” he says.

“Please what?” Joe asks, tugging one pearl out of Rami. 

“I don’t know,” Rami whines.

“What color, Rami?” Joe asks, stopping.

“Green,” Rami says. “It’s green, I just —” he grunts as Joe pulls another bead out.

“Just what?” 

“Empty, I’m so empty,” Rami replies, and Joe gets the final bead out. 

“I can help you with that,” Joe says. He looks up, seeing that Gwil finished his task, so to speak. “Come here, Ben,” he calls.

Ben stumbles over, teary eyed and smiling. “Sir?” he asks, sniffing. 

Joe looks over at Gwil, whose face is covered in lube, looking smug. “Please fuck Rami,” Joe asks.

Ben whines, high and reedy before getting on his knees. He lines up, holding his cock to Rami’s entrance, pausing. 

“Is it okay?” Ben asks.

Rami nods. 

Ben slowly slides into him, sinking in deep. “Fuck,” he whispers. He starts a steady pumping motion, easing into Rami and sliding out again, a purposeful rhythm in trying to not cum.

Rami’s face is on the floor as he keens and grunts, wiggling back onto Ben, trying to ease him into fucking him faster, harder, more. His fingers scramble for purchase on the wood, before going limp and giving way to the steady thrusting of Ben’s cock into his hole.

Joe stays on the floor, winded from watching the best thing he’s ever seen live and in person. He grabs onto his cock and squeezes the base, knowing he’ll cum too soon if he doesn’t. God, maybe he needs the cock ring. 

Gwil doesn’t fare any better, standing, bewitched by their subs, rock hard and wet. 

“Stop,” Gwil calls, and Ben shakes like he’s coming, furiously gripping Rami’s hips where bruises will form tomorrow. “Did you?” Gwil asks breathlessly.

“No sir,” Ben breathes. “Almost.”

“Good boy,” Gwil praises. He goes over and sits on the couch, seemingly lazily playing with himself. Joe can see the stumbling of his hand, the shaking in his legs that give the game away, but he’s positive the subs are so deep neither can notice. 

Joe gets up to join him on the couch. “Rami,” he says, and Rami blearily turns his head to face them, still on the floor. “It’s your turn to fuck Ben.”

Rami attempts to get up, and manages to get on his knees. “Sir,” he whines. 

Ben saves him the trouble, and lays on the floor face down, and he and Rami work to get Ben’s ass in the air enough so Rami can open it.

Rami slides himself into Ben and they both sigh at the sensation. 

“Look up,” Gwil says, and they both turn their heads to the couch, eyes glazed over as Rami barely fucks into Ben, just swaying back and forth, sloppily having his hips smack Ben’s ass. Gwil picks up two remote, and wiggles it teasingly. “Guess what these go to?” he asks.

Ben and Rami pant, eyes locked on the remote, but say nothing.

Gwil presses the buttons, and the bars on the cock rings, snug between their balls and the base of their dicks, start to vibrate. 

Ben yells, a sharp and short sound. He’s jerking, hips moving erratically. 

Rami sobs, practically falling on top of Ben. 

It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so hot. 

“Just a little more,” Joe encourages. 

Rami starts openly crying, fucking into Ben, holding onto him tightly.

Joe looks at Gwil, and he nods, switching the vibrators off. 

“Stop, Rami. Come here, darlings,” Gwil calls to them, and Rami pulls out of Ben with a cry. 

With trembling limbs Ben and Rami crawl to the couch. 

Gwil and Joe help their respective subs onto their laps.

Joe can finally pay attention to just Rami now, his beautiful collar and chains, his sweat covered body all for him now. Joe takes himself in hand and presses his cockhead to Rami’s ass, slipping in so easily he groans. 

‘Rami sighs, pawing aimlessly at Joe’s face, his shoulders and arms.

“What do you need, sweetheart?” Joe asks, over the high pitched moans and low, rumbling grunts of Gwil and Ben. 

“Kiss me,” Rami pants and Joe threads a finger through the D ring on Rami’s collar and pulls him forward. “Please? Please sir?”

Joe’s lips sloppily meets Rami’s as he fucks into him, tongue piercing into the threshold of Rami’s mouth just as his cock does. 

Rami holds back a choked off cry as Joe grabs onto his cock, finally firmly gripping it. 

“God, you’re soaking wet for me,” Joe pants as he thumbs over Rami’s slit. “So good for me, you feel so good.”

Rami moans, his voice blending into the cries of Ben and Gwil. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Joe says, and Rami aimlessly grabs onto Ben’s hand. “Both of you, so beautiful, you did so good for us.”

“Oh yes,” Gwil hisses, and Joe finally becomes aware of the other dom again, “Our good boys, doing just as we asked, even protecting one another.”

Ben bites his lip, keening and squeezing Rami’s hand so hard his knuckles turn white. 

Joe continues, “Love to see you both tied up one day. Maybe then I’ll chain your cock to your nipples, maybe I’ll play you both like a finely tuned instruments you are. Making beautiful music, together, listen to you.”

“Fuck!” Ben screams, juttering, cumming, hot white spurts on Gwil’s chest. 

Joe slides a finger under Rami’s chains, pulling as he tugs open the cock ring, and Rami grunts, slumping over as he cums too, grinding his wet cock onto Joe’s soft belly, thick globules between them. 

Joe lets the cock ring back into place, and starts fucking into Rami in earnest, loving the wet, panting sighs in his ear. He grabs Rami’s ass and slams into him, over and over, searching for the cresting and earthly nirvana between Rami’s thighs. 

“Baby,” Joe says, “I’m gonna take such good care of you,” he promises, and he’s so close, can feel the wave peaking in his groin, the yearning of his cock for an ancient high. “Fuck, sweetheart,” he says. 

Rami presses sweet kisses to his neck and Joe’s hips jerk. So close now.

“You always take care of me, Joey,” Rami whispers, and Joe shouts, screams into the heavens of Rami’s body. 

Joe shakes, breathing heavily as he pumps Rami full of cum, connecting them again and again. 

Joe holds onto Rami as they gather their breath. “How’re you feeling?” Joe asks, when his brain comes back online.

“Good,” Rami says. “Tired.”

“That’s normal.”

“It should be,” Rami laughs. “Are you telling me you’re filled with energy?”

Joe turns his head to see Ben drowsily lying his head on Gwil’s chest. Joe’s not sure when Gwil came, probably in the rush of his own climax, but Gwil is gently petting Ben and humming, satisfied.

“Enough to get up and get you some water,” Joe says. 

“Ugh, don’t move,” Rami replies. 

“How are you two still talking?” Ben mumbles.

Joe impishly reaches over and gently unclips one of Ben’s nipple clamps. 

“Fuck!” Ben says, cradling his chest. 

Gwil undoes the other one, while Joe works on getting Rami out of his own. 

Rami hisses under the attention, and Joe soothes over the pain with his tongue, gently licking Rami’s nipple, wet slathers of his tongue on tender flesh. 

He unhooks the cock ring, and feels himself slip out of Rami, soft from cumming. 

He toys with the idea of getting the cock ring on himself, of turning on the vibe and slowly fucking into Rami again, but he’s simply too tired right now. 

“I’m gonna get this one to bed,” Gwil whispers, standing up. Ben is drooping, snuffling into Gwil’s chest. “It happens all the time. Stay if you want, you know where everything is.”

“Thanks Gwil,” Joe says. He gently urges Rami to lay on the sofa. “I’m gonna grab some water and some washcloths, be right back.”

Rami nods, and Joe quickly unfolds a blanket to lay over him. 

Joe grabs the stuff as quickly as possible, making sure to get chocolate from his bag before rushing back to Rami’s side. He wipes Rami and then himself down in a perfunctory manner, then climbed under the blanket and let Rami sip on water and eat chocolate at his own pace. 

“Ready for bed?” Joe asks after a few minutes. 

Rami shakes his head no. “Can we just watch tv?” he asks.

“Sure,” Joe says, and raises his head. “Fuck, the remote’s on the coffee table,” he whines, before attempting to get up again.

“No, wait,” Rami says. “Don’t get up. Just, talk with me?”

“Of course,” Joe lays back down, makes sure the blanket is snug around Rami. “Did you want to talk about tonight? Any emotions or feelings?”

Rami chuckles. “Maybe later.”

There’s a silence that sits with them both, easing them into sleep. 

“Hey,” Joe says, sleepy and warm, “thanks for tonight, you were amazing.”

“You’re welcome,” Rami says. “Thank you too.” He curls into Joe’s heat more, and Joe sighs at the feeling. “Could we,” he clears his throat. 

Joe is about to say something, but Rami continues, not waiting for Joe’s go ahead. 

“Could we do more stuff like last night too?”

Joe blinks. “You mean, sex?”

Rami laughs. “We just had sex, Joe.”

“I mean, you know, non scene sex.”

“Right. Could we... do that?”

“Rami, anytime you want to do anything with me, I’m down.”

“What if I wanted to have normal sex and no scenes?”

“I’m okay with that.”

“Really?” Rami asks, sounding surprised.

“I know you, and I know me, and I know that wouldn’t last that long, but yeah,” Joe says, feeling ineloquent.

“Okay, fair,” Rami replies. “What if I wanted both?”

“Then that’s what we would do.”

“What if I wanted to date you?” Rami asks, stilling.

“I’d die of gratefulness, why do you ask?”

Rami laughs. “If I wasn’t so tired right now I’d kiss you,” he says.

“There’s always tomorrow,” Joe promises. 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhhhh here it is
> 
> I have no excuse

Joe’s phone buzzes in his pocket as he walks home from the bookstore. He pulls out his phone, cursing the heat of the early September sun. August was a week ago, shouldn’t he be pulling out his jackets already? 

He passes by a Starbucks and glares at the pumpkin spice latte sign out front. Just like Christmas season, it comes earlier and earlier each year. 

_I know we said no presents, but I got you something_ , Joe reads.

Joe huffs a laugh, the weight of the books he just bought Rami lighter now. _Same_ , he types out.

_Joe!_

_You did it too!_

_Okay, but mine is way better._

Joe thinks about the books, and about the scene he has planned for this weekend. _My physical gift won’t blow you away,_ he admits. _But I have super secret bedroom plans…_

Joe’s phone starts to ring. He picks it up. “Dude, you’re like, the only millennial that uses a phone to talk to someone, you know that, right?”

“Look, I was going to keep texting, but let me just say that your bedroom plans are shot once you see what I got you.”

Joe laughs. “Whatever, see you at the apartment, sweetheart.”

Rami says goodbye and Joe makes his way to his apartment as fast as he can. While it’s been six months, ( _six months!_ He thinks, giddy) Rami’s lease ended and he’s moved in with Joe, after of course, several long talks about where they were going. 

Joe’s made a whole new contract with Rami, and Rami’s tastes have changed a little, even. Joe wants to be extra sure that Rami’s open to new stuff for himself, and not Joe (Joe can see Rami’s eyeroll and blush at this).

Joe’s preparation for the weekend plans are already underway. Joe’s family recipe for Pasta Carbonara and Summer Vegetables with Burratta is on the counter, the ingredients in the fridge, and Joe’s sent a bouquet of roses to Rami’s work. There’s more roses on the bed, candles waiting to be lit, and champagne being chilled. 

Fine, it’s hokey, and overplayed, but Joe’s never done this with Rami before, and six months seems like an excellent time to remind Rami he’s dating a total sap. 

Joe also installed some new hooks and loops on the bed frame to tie Rami up with, but that’s just a bonus. 

He opens the door to his apartment, Rami on the couch in his kimono, sipping at some water and reading.

“Couldn’t wait, huh?” Joe teases, shutting the door and locking it. 

Rami turns his neck and smiles at him. “You’ll thank me,” he says. 

Joe laughs, dropping his backpack and the books on the floor before beelining it to the couch. “You keep saying that,” he says, and kneels on the floor beside Rami. “It’s like you forget that I take any challenge as a personal assault to my manliness,” he jokes. He urges Rami to set the book and water down, to face him so he can open the robe, get between those sweet thighs, so he can suckle at his lover’s… “Holy fuck,” Joe whispers, staring. 

“Told you,” Rami says, smug, but Joe doesn’t pick up on it. 

In fact, Joe is entranced. “Are they real?” he asks, winded, because all of his blood is in his cock now, thank you, and it’s never traveled there so fast before. 

Rami rolls his eyes, Joe thinks. He’s not entirely sure that he does, it’s a guess, because Joe is staring at the golden bars piercing through Rami’s nipples. 

“Yes, they’re real,” Rami laughs. 

Joe just stares some more. 

“Joe,” Rami says. 

“It hurt?” He looks up, blinking. “I mean, I know the piercing itself hurt, but do they hurt right now?”

Rami smiles, runs long fingers through Joe’s hair. “It’s still tender.” 

“So can I like, play with them? Gently?”

“Gently,” Rami allows. 

Joe raises his hand and tenderly thumbs across Rami’s pierced nipple and it’s soft, as always, the dark raised skin is soft, but now there’s the underlying gold there. 

Rami hisses, legs shifting open wider to enclose Joe’s shoulders, revealing his growing cock underneath thin silk layers. 

Joe pushes, to feel the bar underneath, and Rami hisses. “Fuck,” Joe says, his hand going to the other nipple, tapping on the bar.

Rami’s mouth opens in a pant, his gasps becoming louder. He slides a hand to capture one of Joe’s and slides it into his mouth. 

“Sweetheart,” Joe says, speechless. He watches as Rami sucks, slick tongue on the pads of Joe’s fingers, making the same motions he would around Joe’s cock. Soon enough he relents and Joe’s fingers slide free, slick with spit dragging from Rami’s lips. 

Rami guides Joe’s hand down to his cock, parting the silk robe and holding his hand there for a moment, sighing into it. 

Joe complies, eager to please, gripping Rami’s cock firmly and stroking, playing with the quickly wetting tip, with under the head, with the extra skin there. He leans forward, spreading Rami’s thighs impossibly wider and licks a broad, flat stripe over Rami’s nipple, ever so gently sucking as he strokes Rami, keeping both motions unhurried. 

Rami groans, and grips Joe’s hair to pull him off. 

Joe goes, but only because he knows complying will get him back to Rami’s body faster. 

“I know you have plans,” Rami says, voice low already, as Joe still works his weeping cock. “But tonight we’re gonna do things differently.”

Joe pants, rises up on his knees. “Different how?” he asks, curiosity always getting the better of him. 

“Tonight, I’m gonna take care of you,” Rami says, and his hand snaps to Joe’s wrist, the wrist stills, hand still on Rami’s dick. “Let go,” Rami says gently.

Joe bites his lip, but does as he’s asked.

“Is this something we need to, discuss?” Joe asks, trying to hint to Rami about the contract. About Rami domming him. For the first time. 

“Yes, but,” Rami says, loosening his grip on Joe’s wrist, cradling his head in both hands. “I’m just bossy in bed.”

“I know. I just meant,” Joe starts, and Rami smiles.

“I know,” Rami says softly. “I’m not starting the scene, yet.”

Rami kisses him, and their wet lips move together in tandem, time slipping out of Joe’s notice for a while. He tries to turn his dom brain off, to sit and be adored for a moment, but he’s not sure if he’s wired for that. His fingers play with the hem of Rami’s silk robe, his hands try exploring up above Rami’s knees, but Rami catches him each time. 

Joe pulls back, frowning. “Do I get a hint, or anything?” he asks, a little put out.

Rami laughs, then bites his lip. “I just want to pamper you,” he says, and sounds like a whine. 

Joe narrows his eyes. “Okay?” he says. Why is this hard?

Rami huffs out a sigh, half laughing. “Alright, stay here,” he says, and gets up and off the couch, moving to the bedroom.

Joe sits back and waits, impatiently, of course, and Rami comes out with several packages. 

“Open these,” Rami says, trying to gently put them in Joe’s arms. 

“Rami, there’s like ten packages, here,” Joe says, overwhelmed.

“There’s five,” Rami replies, rolling his eyes. “Just open them, please,” Rami encourages, sitting on the floor next to Joe. 

Joe opens one, and it’s a dark blue silk robe, very similar to what Rami is wearing. “I like it,” Joe says quietly. He does. He knows the statement is subdued, and turns to Rami, to make sure that he knows. 

Rami smiles softly. “Keep going.”

The next package is underwear, at least three pairs, all black and lacy. “Are these…” Joe turns, dangling a pair from his finger. 

“For you,” Rami says. 

There’s bath bombs from Lush, and what Joe can only assume is now the most expensive sweater he owns. 

There’s one box left, and Rami stops him before he can unwrap what are clearly shoes. “These, well, I had an idea. I hope you like them.”

Joe takes off the wrapping paper to look, and they’re high heeled shoes, with a bright red sole. “Louboutins? Seriously?” Joe asks, laughing.

“They’re not actually Louboutins,” Rami explains. “Your feet are too big.”

Joe leans over and kisses Rami on the cheek. “Knock offs, thank you babe.”

“Shut up!” Rami says, laughing. “I wanted to get you the real ones.”

“So what was the idea?” Joe asks.

“We’re gonna roleplay, a bit.”

Joe nods, swallowing. 

Rami cups his face, runs slim fingers along Joe’s jaw. “You’re gonna do great.”

Joe takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. 

“I’m gonna take some of your presents, and make an outfit for you to wear in the bedroom. I’m gonna change while your doing that, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen, okay?”

“Okay,” Joe says. 

“What’s your safeword?” Rami asks, gently.

“Egret.”

“Mine’s milk.” 

With that, Rami smiles. It’s become an exchange of vows, their safewords, a promise and a declaration of love. Rami gets up, picks up Joe’s gifts, and walks to the bedroom. 

Joe follows. Joe feels shaky, but knows Rami will take care of him. When Joe enters the bedroom, he sees the bathroom door is cracked open with the light on, and Rami nowhere in sight. 

Joe takes in a steadying breath and turns to the bed. His new shoes, black lacy panties, and an apron lie on the bed. 

Joe blinks. 

He’s been very open to Rami about his fantasies, and apparently, Rami wants to put that to good use. He’s always thought, maybe, that he could play adoring housewife as Rami comes home and then fucks him. 

Joe feels the heat of desire pooling in his stomach, the clenching of his thighs. He starts undressing, letting the clothes fall to the floor and then slowly pulls the underwear up on top of his slowly filling cock. He wants to run into the bathroom to see how it looks, but instead slips the apron on over his head and ties it neatly in the back. 

Lastly, he slips into the shoes, steadying himself before doing a practice walk to the dresser and back to the bed. He walks out of the bedroom, the heels clicking as they move from soft carpet to hardwood.

Joe stands in the kitchen for a moment, unsure of what to do, how to act. He turns towards the stove, and then the fridge, caught up in his own head about what he needs to be doing. He needs to be ready for Rami.

This, this is why it’s hard for Joe to sub. He’s a natural worrier, he plans things out to the minute because of it, and he likes having control. He likes taking care of people. On this end of the dynamic, it’s more difficult for him, because he’s never really trusted anyone enough to really take care of him. 

But he trusts Rami. 

Joe decides he’s gonna at least start working on dinner, so he gets out the knife and the cherry tomatoes and starts cutting them in half on the board.

He hears Rami walk into the room, and Joe keeps cutting, blushing because he knows that Rami will want to see him, and Joe’s never felt so intensely wanted before. 

Rami comes up behind him, sliding fingers along Joe’s bare arm up to his shoulder and squeezes. 

Joe puts the knife next to the sink as Rami presses up behind him. 

“Hi baby,” Rami croons, slipping warm hands over the apron, reaching up to pinch one of Joe’s nipples through the fabric and then sliding down to his hips.

“Hi,” Joe replies, still not looking at Rami, staring intensely at the tomatoes. He feels Rami gently run his fingers over the edging of Joe’s underwear, the lace stopping halfway up Joe’s ass. Joe clears his throat. “How was work?” he asks, as Rami hums, only teasing his fingers along the edge of the panties, letting them stray further to the clasp of Joe’s thighs, but darting away at the last second.

“Work was good, thank you,” Rami says, and it sounds like what he usually says. “But I really wanted to come home and see you.” His breath is hot on the base of Joe’s neck; the shoes give Joe a height advantage. 

“Oh?” Joe asks.

Rami hums. “Can you turn around for me, baby?” he asks softly. 

Joe releases the death grip he has on the counter, and turns so suddenly he bumps into Rami. “I’m sorry,” Joe babbles, miserable. “Sir, I’m sorry, I don’t know,” he says.

Rami catches Joe’s flapping hands and smiles. Joe notices Rami’s in that suit, the one he loves, the one he’s begged Rami to let Joe just take him apart in, and Rami’s always refused. Looks like it’s Joe’s turn.

“What color, Joe?” Rami asks. Still so kind. 

Joe checks himself, taking a breath. He’s not in trouble, he’s just nervous. But also, this is nerve wracking and it’s only going to get bigger. “Yellow,” he says.

Rami nods. “Can I kiss you?” he asks, and Joe nods. 

Kissing Rami is familiar by now, knowing how to say a myriad of things to him using lips and tongues and no words. Joe sighs into it, letting Rami hold his hands, letting Rami take over slowly, as Rami cradles his head, threads fingers through Joe’s hair. Their lips slide across each other, dry at first, then Rami threads his tongue into Joe’s mouth. 

Joe revels in the feeling, of being wanted, wanted by Rami. He sighs as Rami moves from his mouth to his ear. Rami sucks Joe’s earlobe into his mouth and nips on it, and Joe shudders, gripping Rami’s shoulders tightly. 

Rami pulls back. “What’s for dinner?” he asks, and it sounds so normal, it takes Joe a minute to get back to it. The scene. 

“Carbonara.”

“My favorite,” Rami says, smiling, cupping Joe’s face, then letting his hand slip down to Joe’s neck, fiddles with the apron’s neck string. “I was thinking about a different kind of meal all day,” Rami continues, looking at Joe carefully before making the decision to let go. 

Joe frowns at this. They were getting somewhere, sort of.

Rami smirks, a genuine but smug smile. “Don’t worry baby, I’ll take care of you.” Then he slowly drops to his knees. 

Joe’s eyes widen. 

“Turn around and brace yourself,” Rami says, and Joe does so, not even second thinking the command. 

Joe holds onto the counter, as Rami slides his hands up Joe’s outer thighs. 

Rami licks the curve of Joe’s ass, and Joe jerks a little, but Rami soothes him with warm, open palms. 

Rami bites and nibbles and licks his way all over Joe’s ass except for where his panties are, only flirting with the lacy edge, and Joe moans, shoving his ass back to hint that Rami needs to pick up the pace, here. Joe’s cock is already hard now, pressing against itchy lace. 

Rami simply flicks Joe’s thigh in retaliation, and goes back to business.

Joe sighs, keening, opening his legs wider, leaning further over the counter as Rami teases him, only going to the flesh not covered by Joe’s underwear. 

Joe hates his new panties, it’s official. “Rami,” he says, hanging his head and panting. 

Rami stops, stands. 

Joe, for a half second thinks he did something wrong. Why did Rami stop? It was torture, yes, but the exquiste kind. 

“Stand up,” Rami says, his voice deep. 

Joe does, shaking in his heels. 

Rami turns Joe around and smiles, looking devious and again, smug. “You got your apron all dirty,” he says, proud.

Joe looks down, and sure enough, the cherry tomatoes he sliced are all over the apron. Joe thinks it’s a waste, but he stops thinking altogether when Rami slides a hand around to his back and gently tugs at the apron strings. 

“Take it off,” Rami says. 

Joe brings his hands behind him and pulls at the tie, the loops coming apart easily. Joe slides the apron over his head.

Rami stares at him for a moment, eyes hungry and heavy lidded. He reaches a hand out for Joe’s and gently offers support as Joe wobbles over to the couch. 

Joe makes to sit down, but Rami grabs his hips before he can do so. 

“C’mere,” Rami says, and Joe blushes, backing up, hoping to whoever’s listening he doesn’t step on Rami’s toes. Rami has him stand at the arm of the couch. “Bend over,” is the next command and Joe blushes furiously as he bends his body over the arm of the couch. 

Rami starts massaging Joe’s ass, just grabbing large handfuls and squeezing. The motions make the panties crawl further into Joe’s ass, making it so they nestle right up to Joe’s hole, and as he wiggles, trying to get his hips onto the arm of the sofa, it rubs there. 

Joe keens, panting. “Please,” he says, not sure if he wants to press back into Rami’s relentless hands or to kick off the shoes that are stopping him from grinding onto the couch. 

Joe can feel the heat of Rami move, from his lower back to the emitting heat of his own inner thighs. Rami’s moved down to the floor again, and Joe sighs as Rami finally, finally pulls Joe’s panties down. 

Joe puts a knee gingerly up, to cue that he’s ready to slip them off, but Rami only guides his foot back down. The panties, not the fun, elastic kind of lacy, but the real itchy, tight kind of lacy, act as a lock for his legs, and he can’t open them any further. 

Joe whines, which turns into a scream as Rami opens Joe’s cheeks wide and blows on his red hole. Rami kisses him there, over and over, and licks into him. 

Joe sighs, moaning. He wants so many things. For Rami to just fuck him already. For this to go on and on until Joe dies. He has a feeling the second one is more likely to happen, the way Rami’s taking his time. 

Somehow, after what seems like half an hour of Joe panting and twitching, Rami’s tongue and eventually fingers entering in him and Joe’s cock aching with no relief, Rami stops. 

“Please,” Joe says, trying to scoot back, to get the sensation again, but Rami only stills him.

“You’re doing so good for me,” Rami says. “Let’s get you naked now,” he continues, and slips the panties off Joe. He guides them over Joe’s shoes. “C’mon, I’ll take you to the bedroom. You’ve had a big day taking care of everything for me.”

He wraps an arm around Joe’s waist and helps him to the bedroom and then the bed, Joe’s legs shaking like a fawn’s. 

“Lay back,” Rami says softly, and Joe does, closing his eyes. Rami does something, rustling noises and then a dip in the mattress next to Joe. “You did the nicest thing for me,” he says.

Joe hums, not sure he has the wherewithal to reply. 

“You bought me roses, remember?” Rami asks, and then the smell of a rose, fully bloomed wafts into his nose. 

Joe opens his eyes where one of the long stemmed Ecuadorian roses, a deep red hue is in front of his face. 

Rami twirls it, before brushing the flower over Joe’s lips. 

Joe moans, mostly in anticipation, because this is never ending, this barrage of sensations Rami is giving him. 

Rami slides the rose down Joe’s throat, brushes it over Joe’s nipples, over the hair of his belly and down the length of his thigh. 

“Rami,” Joe gasps, knowing where this is headed. “Please.”

Rami only hums, drawing the rose back up to where hip and thigh meet, tickling the sensitive skin there.

Joe’s cock is straining, untouched for all of this evening. He lurches his hips up in a plea, asking for Rami to answer his body’s beckoning call. 

Rami gives in, and Joe feels the rose roll over to the base of his cock before drawing up to the tip, darting away when Joe’s hips start thrusting into the air.

Joe just wants to come. He wants release, and Rami isn’t giving it to him, only mercilessly teasing him with soft, silky petals and low, buzzing words Joe can’t hear or understand. 

“Fuck,” Joe says, feeling tears come out of the corners of his eyes, not caring. “Please, Rami. Please, I,” and Rami says something, the rose tickling over the surely wet head of Joe’s cock. 

Rami puts the rose down, and Joe’s chest heaves, trying to get cool air, to calm down, but Rami gets off the bed.

“Wait,” Joe says, but all Rami does is pull Joe’s legs so his ass meets the edge of the bed.

Rami unbuttons and unzips his pants and pulls lube out of his pocket. He slides warm fingers to Joe’s hole again, fingering him open once more. Joe keens at the attention, at Rami’s look of love and focus on him.

Rami finally step between Joe’s thighs and hikes them up over his shoulders, one of the pumps hitting the ground, the other digging into Rami’s back. 

Rami pushes inside of him, a slow and steady glide which at Joe’s nod after adjustment, becomes a brutal pace. 

Joe’s eyes roll back in his head, and everything seems to go fuzzy. He hears words like _good_ , and _beautiful_ , and _mine_ , and the feeling of Rami’s cock dragging and thrusting into him, a relentless piston makes Joe moan, drool sliding out of his mouth.

Joe feels weightless, only the feeling of Rami’s cock and the suit under Joe’s knees keep him on the same plane. And when Joe feels the soft and familiar rose come back for his cock he screams, coming, what feels like forever, hot and thick spurts over his stomach, on Rami’s suit, he thinks. He doesn’t know, because he still feels kind of floaty as Rami’s hips and cock stutter into him, soon filling Joe full with cum. 

Rami slips out, sighing. 

Joe comes around when Rami curls up next to him, gently wiping him down, peeling off the other shoe and pulling cover over them both. 

Rami must have changed in the bathroom, because Joe feels nothing but skin behind him.

“You were amazing,” Rami says, voice rough.

“Thanks,” Joe says, throat wrecked. How much did he scream?

“Uh, well, let’s say Mrs.Everly next door is gonna have words for us tomorrow.”

“I said that out loud?”

Rami hums, a positive sound. “Would you like water?”

Joe nods, and Rami hands him a bottle of water. Joe sips on it, asks for chocolate, and is given that too.

“You were right,” Joe says as Rami tucks his knees behind Joe’s, wrapping him up.

“I like that,” Rami jokes. “About what, though?”

“Your present blew mine out of the water.”

Rami laughs, nosing the nape of Joe’s neck. “I’m glad. I had fun. Did you have fun?”

“Thought that was obvious,” Joe deadpans. 

Rami flicks him.

“I loved it,” Joe amends. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Rami says, kissing the top of Joe’s spine. “Now, let’s fall asleep until nine and then wake up and eat Chinese take out.”

“Perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> hey I'm on tumblr now as thekillerqueenie. come say hi!


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